Rising to the Challenge - The Legacy of Son Gohan
by TheGodfather93
Summary: After seven years of peace the Earth comes under threat from a foe powerful enough to frighten even the Gods of Creation, leading to Son Gohan taking up his mantle as defender of the planet. In the meantime, he has to contend with going to high school and keeping his superhero identity a secret. Can he rise to the challenge? A Boo arc where Goku survived the Cell Games.
1. First Day of School

**Preface: Hi all. I'm pleased to finally be able to post the first chapter of my rewrite of the Boo arc, and the sequel/continuation to my oneshot, Repercussions of the Positive Kind. While it is not necessary to have read ROTPK in order to enjoy this fic, it does give some background information and details exactly how Goku survived the Cell Games, so please consider checking it out if you'd like to get the full picture of events.**

* * *

 **Rising to the Challenge – The Legacy of Son Gohan**

 **Chapter 1 – First Day of School**

In the oft-peaceful woodlands of Mount Paozu, a fierce battle was taking place. Where once birds chirped freely, their melodic voices adding to the serenity of the place, grunts and booms now permeated the air, as two warriors bathed in a golden light clashed intensely. Punch met punch, kick met kick, and head met head; the two combatants equal in almost every sense of the word.

The stalemate was broken when one of the warriors ducked underneath a punch and elbowed his opponent in the solarplexus. The warrior on the receiving end of the damage cried out in pain and dropped his guard, only for his attacker to smash a roundhouse kick into the side of his head, sending him flying off to the side and snapping several trees in the process.

With a loud thump the wounded man came to a half after colliding with the side of a cliff, the sheer impact of the action creating a huge crater in the rock.

The man groaned as he separated his body from the cliffside, and rubbed his back in an attempt to get rid of the soreness. He was about to retaliate when his opponent pulled up in front of him, and hovered in the air with a cheeky grin on his face.

"You know, Gohan, if you want we can call it quits right here," Goku taunted.

Gohan grinned in response. "No need, Dad, I'm just getting started.

With a quick flare of his ki, Gohan disappeared from view and reappeared right in front of his father, launching a left jab into his face.

Goku was caught by surprise and was too slow to block, the hit disorienting him slightly. He was then unable to respond as Gohan landed a right hook to his temple, after which his head was grabbed and thrust downwards, right into his son's rising knee. The sickening crunch of broken cartilage and the splatter of blood was enough to distract the elder Saiyan as Gohan sent him crashing into the ground with a viscous axe hand strike to the back.

Goku let out a groan from inside the crater formed by his fall, but was quick to rise. After getting to his feet and tweaking his broken nose, he looked up at his son and laughed. "I might have spoken a bit too soon."

Gohan grinned at his father and beckoned him to attack again.

The two were about to go at it once more when they both froze in fear as they felt a chill run up their spines. Turning their heads to the side, they spotted a small golden cloud floating in the air, bearing two figures.

Goten smiled sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head. "Sorry Dad, big brother; Mum said I couldn't have any lunch if I didn't take her to where you were."

From beside him, a furious Chi-Chi nodded. "That's right. Gohan, you should know better than this," she scolded. "It's your first day of school, and I don't want you going there looking like a delinquent!" Gohan mimicked Goten's actions from before and scratched the back of his head in silent apology, before Chi-Chi turned her attention to his father, who was trying to sneak away. "And Goku, you should know better than to drag your son into a spar on such an important day! We discussed this last night!"

"Aww, come on Chi-Chi, he's fine," Goku pleaded. "We didn't even power up all that much!"

Chi-Chi narrowed her eyes and gave her husband a fierce glare, one that promised they'd be having a talk about this later. Goku had enough common sense to not protest further.

Gohan chuckled inwardly at the sight, having seen something similar happen so many times before. That being said however, he knew the smart thing to do would be to follow his mother's instructions. After all, he too wanted to make a good first impression on his peers.

After bidding his parents and brother farewell, he sped towards his house, powering down from Super Saiyan once he stepped through the door. After stripping out of his blue gi and taking a quick shower, he walked into his room and eyed the clothes on his bed with a slight frown. His mother had picked out dark orange pants, a long sleeved white button up shirt, and a black vest, topped off with black shoes.

While Gohan didn't necessarily have a problem with the outfit, he'd been out in public enough times with Bulma to know that it was a bit too… formal for someone his age. Oh well, it wasn't a major issue.

With a shrug Gohan got changed, slung his schoolbag over his shoulder, and went outside, only to spot Goten playing tag with some butterflies he'd found earlier. He couldn't help but smile at the sight. Unlike him, his younger sibling didn't have to grow up in troubled times where the fate of the world was at stake. He actually got to have a normal childhood… well, as normal as it could be for a demi-Saiyan.

It was things like this that made Gohan not regret having to give up his own childhood. While a small part of him did wish he could've worried about what was on TV or which toys he was going to play with, as opposed to whether he'd be strong enough to beat the next tyrannical villain that was threatening the world, the constant reminders of the good he'd done, not just for his family, but for the rest of the world, were enough to quash those thoughts.

With the smile still on his face, Gohan hopped up onto Kinto'un, only to nearly fall off as a blue and orange blur slammed into him.

"I don't want you to go, big brother," Goten whimpered as he tightened his arms around Gohan, as if doing so would stop him from leaving.

The eldest Son sibling chuckled as he returned the hug. "Don't worry Goten, I won't be gone forever. I'll be back in about seven or so hours. Then we can spend the rest of the evening playing!"

Despite his reassurances, Goten didn't let go. "But that's way too long, I'll miss you," he whined, now sobbing slightly. "Who am I gonna play with while you're gone?"

"I'll take you to Capsule Corp, Squirt, how's that sound?" came a cheerful voice from the doorway. The Son siblings turned to source to see a smiling Goku with his arm around a tearful Chi-Chi. "You can play with Trunks while I spar with Vegeta."

"Really Dad, can we go?" Goten asked, the hope returning to his voice.

"Of course," Goku chuckled. "Especially considering my usual morning spar was interrupted," he finished with a grin.

Gohan laughed and ruffled his brother's hair. "See Goten? You'll be just fine."

Goten nodded, albeit somewhat reluctantly, and after giving his older brother another hug, leapt off Kinto'un to stand next to his parents. "See you later then, big brother! Don't forget your promise!"

"Don't worry Squirt, I won't."

"My little boy's grown up so fast," Chi-Chi sniffled, before trying to compose herself with a shaky smile. "Remember your manners Gohan. Don't talk to strangers, and don't get into any trouble. Listen to your teachers, and focus on your studies. Don't get distracted by girls, and don't join any delinquent gangs. Your father's friends are enough."

Gohan blushed a bit and laughed meekly. It was just like his mother to be so overprotective, despite his status as one of the strongest beings in the universe. "Don't worry Mum, you've raised me too well for that," he assured her.

"Listen to your mother, Gohan, but don't forget to have some fun too!" Goku chimed in, ignoring the look his wife gave him. "You deserve it, kiddo."

Gohan chuckled and scratched the back of his head. "I'll try, Dad. See you guys later!"

With that Kinto'un took off into the sky. Gohan gave a content sigh as dropped his protective aura and felt the wind on his skin. It was a pleasant feeling, flying without the use of his own ki. Flying on Kinto'un allowed Gohan to feel a sense of childlike joy, and to briefly forget the monumental amount of power he had at his fingertips. The demi-Saiyan soon lost himself in the passing scenery down below, and for the first time in a long time let go of his burdens.

* * *

Kinto'un came to a stop on the outskirts of a large city. Gohan took one look at the massive billboard plastered just at the edge of the city, and couldn't help but laugh at the sight. Underneath the big, bold letters that spelt out 'Satan City' was the smug face of the world champion himself, complete with his trademark moustached grin and victory sign.

Once his laughter had died down, Gohan took a moment to ponder the significance of the sign. In the immediate aftermath of the Cell Games, Mr Satan had tried to take credit for the bio-android's defeat. However, while a large number of the world's population bought his claim, an equally large number didn't.

Among the detractors were many former participants of the Tenkaichi Budokai, as well as several traditional martial arts enthusiasts. These people had grown up watching Goku, Krillin, Yamcha, Muten Roshi, and Tenshinhan among others, competing for the title of 'Strongest under the Heavens'. They had witnessed firsthand the power of ki, and as such didn't buy Mr Satan's claims that they were all light tricks.

Others didn't believe Mr Satan's boasts due to the simple fact that there was no solid proof of his victory. After Gohan had ascended to the next level of Super Saiyan and Cell had powered up to his maximum, all the cameras in the area were disintegrated, so there was no visual evidence that the world champion had defeated Cell. In addition to that, the footage that was broadcast to the world prior to the cameras being destroyed showed Mr Satan being swatted away by Cell, and heavily outclassed by Goku's showing.

So in that respect, the world was divided. But since everyone was just happy that the threat to the planet was over, as well as the fact that none of the Z Warriors stepped up to challenge Mr Satan's claims, no one sought to investigate the issue further. What was certain though, was that the world champion's hometown supported him wholeheartedly, enough to change its name from Orange Star City to Satan City.

Gohan, being the humble boy he was, didn't have a problem with Mr Satan trying to take his credit. He didn't want any of the attention that came with being the world's saviour, and he was simply happy the world was safe. Goku shared his sentiments, and while Chi-Chi was a bit disappointed they wouldn't get any money out of this decision, she understood and respected Gohan's desire for privacy. The other Z Warriors weren't as forgiving of Mr Satan, especially Vegeta, but they too respected the demi-Saiyan's wishes.

Gohan was broken from his thoughts by the sound of his watch beeping. He looked down and his eyes widened. "Darn! I'm almost running late!"

Dropping down from Kinto'un, he bid the cloud farewell, and sped towards Orange Star High School, appearing as a faint blur to the untrained eye. However, the sound of gunshots caught his attention, and he brought his super speed run to a halt.

Gohan surveyed the disturbance and saw there was a bank robbery in progress. A group of police officers were crouching behind a car that was being pelted by bullets, fired by automatic weapons wielded by several laughing crooks.

The demi-Saiyan narrowed his eyes. "Even after all the times this world has come under threat, some people still see fit to disturb the peace."

Being his father's son, Gohan was unwilling to let this type of behaviour slide. However, he also knew he needed to keep a low profile. Seeing only one option available, Gohan quickly turned Super Saiyan and sped in front of the barrage of bullets.

This caused the crooks to stop shooting and stare at the strange sight in shock. Seeing that they weren't about to say anything, Gohan took this moment to speak up. "I'm going to give you one chance to lay down your weapons and surrender to the police," he threatened, deepening his voice in an attempt to mask it. "Fail to do so and I will have to stop you by force."

After a few seconds of silence, the crooks burst into laughter. "Get a load of this chump!" one of them cried. "Let's show him how stupid he was to interrupt our fun!"

As they prepared to open fire, one of the cops shouted, "Kid, watch out!"

Gohan paid him no heed as the rush of bullets came towards him in slow motion. After all the training he'd done, stopping an attack like this was child's play. While he could've easily flared his ki to stop the bullets in their tracks, he couldn't risk one of them accidentally hitting an innocent bystander. So, his mind made up, the demi-Saiyan raised his left hand and swiftly caught every single bullet that was fired at him.

Once the barrage stopped, Gohan held out his hand, a glare on his face, and slowly unclenched his fist. Hundreds of silver projectiles fell to the ground, each one rendered harmless. The crooks' eyes widened at the act.

"I warned you," Gohan growled before disappearing into thin air. Not even a second later he appeared in front of the criminals, and with three quick flicks to their heads rendered them unconscious.

This action caused the truck off to the side to start up. No doubt the driver had noticed what was happening and wanted to make a quick getaway. _'Not on my watch,_ ' Gohan thought as he raised his hand and sent an invisible kiai wave at the vehicle. This caused the truck to flip over and crash onto the road. A quick ki scan revealed the driver to be unconscious. With his job done, Gohan disappeared from view and shot off towards the school, hoping he'd make it on time.

In his haste, he never noticed the raven-haired, pigtailed girl he sped past, who seemed to freeze briefly at the sudden burst of wind generated by his speed.

"What the hell was that?" Videl said out loud, taken aback by the startling development. Seeing as she wouldn't be getting any answers from thin air, Satan City's favourite daughter shrugged and continued towards the police at the scene of the bank robbery, intent on finding out just what exactly happened.

* * *

"And this here will be your classroom," the deputy principal said. "You will have all your classes in here, so I recommend getting to know your classmates, since you're pretty much stuck with them," he chuckled.

Gohan returned the chuckle, although with a hint of nervousness. The deputy principal seemed to notice this. "Don't be nervous my boy, someone with your pedigree will be fine." He then held out his hand, and demi-Saiyan shook it. "Good luck, Gohan."

"Thank you, sir," Gohan replied, watching the man head back to his office. After the deputy had left, Gohan took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

A few seconds later it was opened by a bespectacled man who was wearing a suit, and was getting on in years if his white hair was any indication. "Ahh, you must be the new student. My name is Mr Savage. Come on in."

As soon as Gohan stepped into the classroom all eyes landed on him. The demi-Saiyan surveyed his classmates, noting how different each of them were to one another. His nose was also assailed by several different scents, no doubt the girls' perfume. Gohan also did a quick ki scan of the room, for curiosity's sake, and was surprised at the sheer amount of power one of his peers emitted. It was nowhere near the level of the Z Warriors, but it was the highest he'd ever felt from a human being who wasn't proficient in the use of ki.

It didn't take Gohan long to find the source; a pretty raven-haired girl with pigtails who was wearing an oversized white shirt. Gohan's gaze lingered on her cerulean eyes for a few moments, which held a glimmer of curiosity within them that he found strangely intriguing.

"… also received perfect scores on all of his entrance exams, so please make him welcome, and you might learn a thing or two."

Gohan fought down a small blush at how distracted he was by the raven-haired girl, and thanked Kami that he was able to catch the last bit of his teacher's speech.

"Why don't you tell the class a bit about yourself, Gohan?" Mr Savage asked.

The demi-Saiyan was caught a bit off guard by that, so he grinned sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. "W-well, my name is Son Gohan. I was home-schooled all my life so this is my first time at a public school. My hobbies include eating, reading, and playing with my little brother."

There was some muttering after that, and Gohan was able to pick up the words "aww", "dork" and "cute". He wasn't sure what to make of this, so he put it to the back of his mind for now.

"Thank you for that, Gohan, please find a seat somewhere in the room and we can resume the class," Mr Savage said.

Gohan didn't have to look long as a blonde girl raised her hand. "Hey new boy, you can come sit next to me!" she called with a wink.

The demi-Saiyan couldn't help but blush at that. He then spotted the raven-haired girl from earlier sitting right next to her, and immediately felt an odd sensation in his chest. Ignoring it, Gohan walked up the stairs and sat down next to the blonde girl. "Thank you," he mumbled shyly.

The blonde giggled. "No worries. My name is Erasa. This here's Videl." She pointed to the raven-haired girl, again causing an odd sensation to stir in Gohan's chest. "The musclehead next to her is Sharpner." Gohan spared a look at a buff guy in a tank top with long blonde hair, but most of his attention was focused on Videl.

"It's nice to meet you all," Gohan said with a smile. Sharpner snorted at that, while Videl continued to stare at him. The look she gave him reminded him a bit of his mother, and he couldn't help but shudder slightly.

"So Gohan, I'll bet you don't know who Videl's dad is?" Erasa inquired cheekily. At Gohan's blank look, she giggled. "It's Mr Satan!"

Gohan's eyes widened. _'Mr Satan!? No way! She looks nothing like him!'_ He then blushed. _'Thank Kami for that.'_ After composing himself again, the demi-Saiyan gave the two girls a smile. "That must be pretty neat, being related to someone famous and all."

Erasa nodded in Videl's place. "Sure is. But being the friend of someone related to someone famous is also pretty neat," she grinned. "Then again, our Videl is also-"

"Ahh, I know why you look familiar!"

Both Gohan and Erasa turned to look at Videl, who'd spoken up for the first time.

"Huh?" Gohan blinked.

"Someone stopped a robbery at the bank this morning. Apparently he caught a bunch of bullets with his bare hands, knocked out some crooks by flicking them in the head, and made a truck flip over by waving at it." Gohan suddenly felt really uneasy, and a bead of sweat trailed down his temple. "I asked the police what this guy looked like, and they said was wearing orange pants, a white shirt, and a black vest. The most noticeable thing about him, though, was his golden hair and glowing aura. The police are calling him the Golden Warrior, and are making him out to be some kind of superhero."

Gohan chuckled nervously. "How about that… this hero guy has the same clothes as me…"

Videl then leaned in, a predatory smirk on her lips, before Sharpner chuckled. "Are you serious, Videl? This guy? Who's ever heard of a bookworm being a superhero?"

Gohan scoffed inwardly at that. _'Clearly this guy's never read any comic books.'_

"Can it, Sharpner," Videl retorted, before fixing her gaze on Gohan once more. "So then, Son Gohan, anything you can tell me about this?"

The demi-Saiyan raised his arms in protest. "It's just a coincidence that we're wearing the same clothes," he pleaded. "Besides, our hair colour is totally different!"

"Hmm, you have a point," Videl conceded. She then gave him one last inquisitive look. "But I will get to the bottom of this."

Gohan gulped at the subtle implications and gave a weak smile in response. He then turned back to the front and processed what had just happened. _'That girl is vicious! She reminds me a bit of Mum.'_ A sense of dread then shot through his body. _'I can only hope to Kami those two never meet, especially considering she's Mr Satan's daughter! I better watch myself around her from now on. Still, I need to do something about this crime issue if I'm going to keep coming to school here.'_ The demi-Saiyan's face then hardened as he pondered possible solutions, not really paying attention to Mr Savage's lecture.

Meanwhile, Videl was staring at Gohan out of the corner of her eye. To say the new guy didn't intrigue her would be a lie. From the moment he walked into class Videl knew there was something different about him. He carried himself with confidence, yet there was an underlying nervousness to his demeanour that spoke volumes about his innocence. He also seemed polite, and didn't gush over Videl when he found out she was Mr Satan's daughter. That alone said that he wasn't from around here.

Then there was the fact that on his first day of school some glowing gold superhero showed up, who just happened to be wearing the same clothes as the new kid. Granted, their hair colour was different, but Videl did remember the fighters from the Cell Games being able to turn their hair golden. Could Son Gohan be one of them? Then there was his name itself. Son Gohan. It rung a bell, and she was certain she'd heard it somewhere before.

After they'd finished speaking, she kept an eye on Gohan. She noticed the subtle changes in his facial expression. First he seemed uneasy; her prodding no doubt unnerving him a bit. That fact brought a smile to her face. Then it was as if he'd bitten into a sour candy, because a look of sheer shock flashed through him. Afterwards though, his features hardened and projected a startling amount of confidence. Just what brought on that change? Just what was he thinking about?

 _'I'll figure you out yet, Son Gohan… that you can be sure of.'_

Videl was broken from her thoughts by Erasa's giggling. She turned her gaze towards her best friend and raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Erasa continued giggling, causing Sharpner to give her a strange look. "Nothing, I'll tell you later."

Videl shrugged, not deeming it overly important. It was probably something gossip related that she had no interest in. With that out of the way, Videl fixed her attention on Mr Savage. However, she couldn't help her thoughts trailing to her spiky-haired classmate.

* * *

Gohan laughed gleefully as he sat cross-legged underneath a big tree. This was his favourite moment of the day, and one he had been looking forward to ever since school started – lunchtime.

The demi-Saiyan had situated himself underneath a tree, not because he wanted to be away from others, but because he needed the space. Surely his mother had packed him all sorts of delectable foods to satisfy his Saiyan appetite. His stomach rumbled anxiously at the thought.

With that in mind, Gohan took out his food capsule and threw it onto the ground in front of him, only for his look of joy to be replaced with one of despair. He had been expecting a mouth-watering feast; chicken, bacon, ham, sandwiches, sushi, rice, beef, pasta… all the good stuff. Instead, what he got was a couple of sandwiches. More than enough for a normal human, but a pitiful amount for a Saiyan.

"Hey Brains, why the long face? Did you lose your favourite textb- whoa! Are you planning on eating all that?"

Gohan raised his head and saw that Videl, Erasa and Sharpner has walked over to him, with the blond boy initiating conversation.

He composed himself and scratched the back of his head. "No, not at all," he chuckled nervously. "I'm just surprised at the amount of food my mum packed."

"No kidding," Erasa interjected. "This many sandwiches would fill me up for a week! If you want, we can help you eat some of them?"

At that Gohan paled. They completely misunderstood his sorrow! The last thing he wanted to do was share his food, especially considering how little of it there was. But he couldn't say no. After all, these three were the only ones to actually approach him today, and while he wasn't the most familiar with teenage social customs, Gohan did know that this was his best chance of actually making some friends.

With that in mind, the demi-Saiyan gave a small laugh. "Help yourselves," he said, trying his utmost best to hide his inner pain as the trio sat down and took up his offer.

"Wow, this is really good!" Videl commented after a few bites. "It's so much better than anything our chefs can come up with."

Gohan smiled. "I'll be sure to let my mum know."

"So tell us a bit about yourself, Gohan," Erasa piped up. "We didn't really learn much from that small introduction you gave this morning."

Gohan stopped chewing his sandwich and swallowed. "Well there's not really all that much to say." He scratched his chin. "I commute here from East District 439, where I live with my parents and younger brother."

The trio stopped eating all of a sudden, and Erasa nearly dropped her sandwich. "East 439!?" she gaped. "That's like hundreds of miles from here! And five hours by jet! Just how early do you have to wake up?"

Gohan laughed uneasily, inwardly cursing himself for letting that bit of information slip, especially if the strange look Videl was giving him was anything to go by. "That's just how dedicated I am to my education, I suppose."

"So Gohan, what do you do for fun around there?" This time it was Videl who spoke up. "I can't imagine there'd be much in the way of recreational activities in the middle of nowhere."

"You'd be surprised," Gohan replied. "Out there we're pretty much surrounded by trees and mountains. There's so much to explore. It's really peaceful out there too, being away from all the pollution and overcrowding in the big cities." He then smiled. "My dad often takes me and my brother out camping, and because there's so much to explore, we always end up discovering new places."

Erasa whistled. "That does sound nice, wouldn't you agree, Videl?"

"I guess," Videl replied, before a smirk found its way to her face. "Maybe you can invite us to your house sometime. I'm sure it'd be a great experience for us city kids."

A bead of sweat rolled down Gohan's temple. "Aha, I don't know," he stammered. "It is a long way away after all. I wouldn't want you all to-"

"Nonsense," Videl interrupted. "We're friends now, aren't we?"

Gohan ignored the scoff from Sharpner and couldn't help the small blush that tinted his cheeks. "Well, when you put it that way, of course we are," he mumbled. "Ok, I'll ask my parents tonight."

"Excellent!" Videl grinned, ignoring the odd look Erasa gave her.

The rest of lunch was fairly uneventful in comparison. Conversation between the four was casual for the most part. Gohan learned that Sharper was a promising boxer, and was hoping to make it big as a pro after he left school. Erasa wanted to be a journalist, and was always up to date on the latest gossip in the school. Videl wanted to follow in her father's footsteps and win the Tenkaichi Budokai, and show everyone that she was great on her own merits, not just because she was a Satan.

That last bit surprised Gohan, and he found himself wanting to know more about the girl. From what he remembered from the Cell Games, her father was a loud, rude and brutish man with an ego the size of Namek. And yet, Videl was nothing like that. What made her so different? Gohan would've happily pondered this some more, but then the bell rang, signalling the end of lunch.

' _Guess I'll have to find out later,'_ Gohan thought as he hurried off to class with his three new friends.

* * *

Gohan whistled happily to himself as he strolled through the streets of Satan City. While the day got off to a rough start, after he'd gotten acquainted with Videl, Erasa and Sharpner it went a lot smoother. He had Gym as his last class of the day, and they were playing baseball.

Not for the first time that day, Gohan thanked Kami that he was familiar enough with the sport after playing with Yamcha a couple of times during the Z Warriors' occasional gatherings. Because of this, he didn't end up making a fool of himself, nor did he end up standing out.

Yep, it was a good day, and he was looking forward to what tomorrow would bring. But before that, there was something else he had to take care of.

Once Gohan was sure he was a reasonable distance away from any bystanders, he shot up into the air and sped off towards Capsule Corp. He'd visited the building countless times over the years, and as a result knew it like the back of his hand. It didn't take the demi-Saiyan long to find Bulma, who was in the living room having a smoke.

"Well this is a pleasant surprise," the Capsule Corp heiress exclaimed as he walked in. "What brings you here, Gohan? Did something bad happen at school?"

Gohan shook his head, a small smile etched on his face. "Everything's great at school. I just need your help with something."

"Oh?"

"Yeah… I noticed today that the crime in Satan City is pretty bad, so I was hoping you could help me come up with a disguise." He then blushed and scratched the back of his head. "Some people are already calling me the Golden Warrior after I stopped a bank robbery this morning while in Super Saiyan."

Bulma's eyes widened. "So that's what that Golden Warrior thing was about!" At Gohan's raised eyebrow Bulma chuckled. "Word travels fast when you're as famous as I am. But never mind that. Hmm…" she pondered, stroking her chin. "A complete transformation so they don't know who you are… ahh! I know! I could reduce a costume to particles and put it in a capsule!"

Gohan beamed at her. "Really? That'd be great! How long will it take?"

"You're so cute. Just can't stop being a hero, can you?" the heiress said with a smile. "I'll have it ready for you in two hours."

"Thanks so much for this!" Gohan exclaimed gratefully, only for his stomach to make a thunderous rumbling noise. He blushed and chuckled sheepishly. "Sorry about that. Mum didn't pack me a big lunch today. Probably didn't want me to stand out. Is it ok if I have something to eat over here?"

Bulma laughed. "Of course. Make yourself at home. Trunks should be coming up any second now as well. He should be finishing up his training with Vegeta."

"Thanks again, Bulma!" Gohan said as he rushed off into the kitchen.

While he was busy stuffing his face with every single edible thing he could find, a lavender haired boy walked into the room, and his mouth split into a grin when he spotted the elder demi-Saiyan.

"Hey Gohan!" Trunks called, rushing over the teenager. "What are you doing here? How was school? Mum said today was your first day!"

Gohan swallowed the piece of chicken in his mouth and smiled at the boy. "Hey there, Trunks. School was fun. I made three new friends and they're all pretty cool. I'm here because I need your mum to make me a costume so I can fight crime in Satan City without anyone recognising me."

Trunks' eyes widened. "So you're gonna be a superhero? Awesome!"

"He should spend more time training instead of playing hero," came a voice from the doorway. "A true Saiyan never gets soft, even in times of peace."

Gohan and Trunks looked up from the table they were sitting at and saw a short muscular man with spiky hair glaring at them, his arms crossed as he leaned against the wall.

"Nice to see you too, Vegeta," Gohan remarked, before noticing the bruise the prince of Saiyans was sporting over his right eye. He smiled. "Although I think you should pay more attention to your own training, if that black eye is anything to go by."

Vegeta was silent for a moment, then his frown turned into a smirk. "That sounds like a challenge, brat. How about we take this to the Gravity Room?"

Gohan shook his head. "Some other time. My mum would kill me if I came home injured and with torn clothes."

The prince of Saiyans scoffed before walking out of the room, muttering under his breath.

After they'd eaten, Trunks and Gohan spent the rest of the afternoon playing video games. Trunks was in the middle of beating the elder demi-Saiyan in a 2D fighter when Bulma walked into the room. "Here ya go, kiddo," she said, throwing a watch to Gohan, who caught it and put it on. "All you need to do is press the red button."

Gohan eyed the watch with interest. It was nothing spectacular appearance-wise, but that just made it all the more better as a disguise. Trunks was jumping up and down in excitement. Seeing no reason to delay, Gohan pressed the red button.

He felt a strange sensation, almost as if someone had thrown a towel over him, that passed as quick as it came. His vision darkened slightly, and he felt a weight on his head. Gohan walked over to the full body mirror in the room, and grinned at what he saw. "This is neat"

"Isn't it?" Bulma chuckled.

Gohan gave himself a look over. He was wearing black spandex underneath a green tunic with a belt at the waist. His gloves and boots were styled like Vegeta's old Saiyan armour, which he felt was a nice touch. He also had a red cape billowing behind him. The most noticeable feature, however, was the orange and black helmet that covered his head, complete with a black visor and antennas.

"Uhh, Mum, are you sure Gohan should go out in public wearing this?" Trunks enquired nervously.

Bulma glared at her son, who cowered slightly as a result. "What's wrong with it?"

Gohan chuckled. "I think it's great. Besides, the whole point of the costume is to hide my identity."

"Glad you like it," the heiress beamed. Trunks opened his mouth as if to say something, but decided against it.

Gohan pressed the red button again and his superhero costume was immediately replaced with his school clothes. He then took another look at his watch and his eyes widened. "Oh no! I should've been home by now! Mum's gonna kill me!"

Bulma laughed. "I'm sure Chi-Chi will understand."

Gohan rushed to the window and opened it. "Thanks again, Bulma. See you guys later!" he said as he jumped out of the window and headed home, turning Super Saiyan to speed up the trip.

* * *

Gohan was just flying over Satan City when he noticed a commotion down below. He stopped his flight, and could make out a car driving recklessly through the streets, almost hitting several bystanders. The demi-Saiyan scowled at the blatant disregard for human lives. "Guess this is as good a time as any to make an appearance." His hair faded to black and he pressed the button to don his superhero outfit. "Sorry Mum, but saving lives come first."

With that Gohan shot down towards the ground, and came to a stop several metres in front of the speeding car, creating a small crater upon impact. The car screeched as if the driver was trying to stop, but it was going too fast to do so. However, this was of no danger to Gohan, who simply raised his leg. He didn't even budge as the onrushing vehicle collided with his foot, leaving a deep, boot-shaped imprint in the front bumper.

The driver and his passenger stepped out of the car, knives in hand and glares on their faces. "You stupid idiot, you got a death wish or something?" one of them snarled.

Gohan's brows furrowed. "What's the big idea, driving like that!? You'll kill someone if you aren't careful? If you're in this town, drive safely!"

"What are you trying to pull, freak?" the same guy as before said.

"Yeah, just who the hell do you think you are?" his partner added.

A thoughtful look found its way to Gohan's face as he pondered the question. _'Who am I? Darn, I should've thought of this before. What am I, what am I… ah!'_

Gohan spread his legs and turned his left foot to face 45 degrees to the side. He clenched his left fist and brought it down to his waist, then thrust his right hand, palm open, off to the left. "I am the defender of justice! The Great Saiyaman!"

What followed was silence. The bystanders in the area seemed rooted to where they stood, seemingly unable to move. The two goons in front of Gohan stared at him with their mouths open, their cigars hanging out. Then, without warning, they burst into laughter.

"The Great Saiyaman? That's so lame," one of them cackled.

"It goes with the lame outfit though!" his partner replied, laughter rolling off him in waves.

"This guy's crazy! Let's do him a favour and put him out of his misery!"

As the duo advanced towards Gohan, all sense of jovialness left the demi-Saiyan. He brought his hands to his sides and flared his ki, deepening the crater he was standing in. The front of the car toppled forward until over half of it was in the crater. "You think this is a joke? You think crime is funny?! I thought very hard about that name!" he growled, his ki causing the goons to stagger backwards.

"N-now that I think about it, that's a great name!" one of them whimpered.

"Sure is! Forgive us Mr Saiyaman sir! We'll won't do this kinda stuff no more!" his partner added, his fear almost tangible.

Gohan's glare softened slightly, but still remained threatening. "Consider this your final warning," he said as he removed the car from the crater with ease and set it on the road. "This city is under my protection from now on. If I see you two breaking the law one more time…" he trailed off, letting the threat sink in.

The sobbing duo bowed and apologised profusely, before getting into their banged up car and driving off. Gohan watched them go with a small smile on his face. It would take time, but he would clean up the filth in this city… of that he was certain.

* * *

"Next time," CLANG, "you decide to," CLANG, "come home late," CLANG, "make sure to," CLANG, "let me know!" CLANG, CLANG, "I was worried sick about you!"

Gohan rubbed his head which had just taken a beating from Chi-Chi's now dented frying pan and grinned sheepishly. It didn't hurt him in the slightest, but he understood it was his mother's way of venting. "Gee, sorry Mum, I got sidetracked with some important stuff!"

Goten, who was peering out from the front door of the house, decided to jump out at that moment. "That's right! Big brother was busy being a superhero!"

Chi-Chi quirked an eyebrow at that. "A superhero? Gohan, I let you go to school so you can focus on your studies, get a diploma, go to university, and get a high paying job as an executive in some fancy company! I didn't let you go to school so you can play superhero!"

"Aww, let him go Chi-Chi, I think it's great he's helping people!" Goku interjected, having decided to see what all the fuss was about. Gohan chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his head. "Besides," Goku added, "Gohan's smart enough already. A little superhero work isn't gonna affect his studies."

Chi-Chi sighed, before a tiny smile flitted across her features. "Fine, I guess it can't be helped. Just what am I going to do with you boys?" she said as she gave Gohan a hug and a peck on the cheek. "I'm proud of you for wanting to help people, son. Just make sure you keep up your studies, ok?"

Gohan nodded and returned the hug. He looked up to see his father giving him his trademark grin and thumbs up, which Gohan returned with a grin of his own.

* * *

That evening saw Gohan and Goten practicing superhero poses in front of the mirror while Goku gave them pointers. "No, no, no, it goes like this," the elder Saiyan corrected, lifting his right foot and placing it next to his left thigh. He then clenched his fists and angled his left arm across his chest, making a V shape and tensing his biceps, while pointing his right hand into the air.

After some adjusting, the two brothers tried mimicking the pose, and Goku grinned. "Perfect!"

Goten dropped his pose and gave his father a curious look. "Where did you learn to pose like this, Daddy?"

"I once fought a guy called Captain Ginyu on Namek," Goku chuckled. Gohan grinned at the reminder of the Ginyu Force's goofiness, before wincing slightly and rubbing his neck. "He called this one his 'Ultra Fighting Pose'!"

Goten laughed. "What a goofball."

"You have no idea, little brother," Gohan muttered with a small smile.

A couple of hours later, once it was time for bed, Gohan trudged to his room, his weary feet dragging across the floor. He pushed open his bedroom door and collapsed onto his bed, falling asleep the moment his head hit the pillow. The last thought that flashed through the demi-Saiyan's mind was, _'School is exhausting…'_

* * *

 **AN:** **I apologise if this chapter is a bit too close to what happened in canon, but every story has to start somewhere. There will be several divergences from canon the further into this story I get, and some of them might surprise you.**

 **I'd like to give a special thanks to The Fluff Queen Lilly-sama, who gave me some advice for the Gohan/Videl interaction, as well as for a few other scenes in this chapter. If you haven't already, go check out her fics – no one does Gohan/Videl like she does.**

 **That aside, feedback would be much appreciated. I don't have a release schedule of any sort, but I will try to get the next chapter out as soon as possible. Until next time!**


	2. The Great Saiyaman

**Rising to the Challenge – The Legacy of Son Gohan**

 **Chapter 2 – The Great Saiyaman**

Gohan groaned as he felt something large and painful collide repeatedly with his stomach. He forced open his eyes and turned his gaze downwards, only to see a grinning Goten giggling to himself as he used his elder brother as a trampoline. "Wake up big brother! You have to get ready for school! And if you don't hurry there won't be any breakfast left!"

Gohan's eyes widened as he shot up from his resting position. Given that he was still somewhat groggy, his actions weren't the most coordinated, and he ended up slamming his head into his younger brother's belly.

Goten let out a cry of shock as he was catapulted backwards, only to crash into the wall and comically slide onto the floor.

There was silence for a few seconds as both brothers processed what had just happened, before Goten surprised the elder demi-Saiyan by leaping up and shouting, "That was awesome! Can we do that again?"

Gohan let out a sigh of relief at the fact that his brother was fine, and gave a small chuckle. "Sorry Goten, we don't want Mum on our case if we accidentally break the wall, do we?"

The younger demi-Saiyan paled, but only a second later his cherubic face regained its normal colour and grin. "C'mon! Let's go have breakfast!"

"In a bit, I just need to get ready."

Several minutes later Gohan walked into the dining room, dressed in the same clothes he wore yesterday, and spotted the rest of his family digging into a larger than normal breakfast.

Seeing his raised eyebrow, Chi-Chi spoke up. "Good morning, Gohan. As you probably noticed yesterday, I didn't exactly give you a full sized lunch to take to school."

Gohan's stomach rumbled at the unpleasant memory and he blushed. "I did notice. I take it it's because you didn't want me to stand out?"

His mother nodded. "That's right. You know very well that the amount you Saiyans eat isn't exactly normal. That's why I made sure to cook an extra large breakfast for you."

"Thanks Mum," Gohan beamed as he sat down and started wolfing down foot.

Mealtimes at the Son household were often quiet affairs. Not because no one had anything to say, but because when hungry Saiyans had food in front of them, there was little that could divert their attention away from it.

"So Gohan," Goku began, wiping his mouth with a napkin and patting his stomach contentedly. "How about a morning spar to burn off all this energy?"

"No!" Chi-Chi shouted, startling the males. "Gohan has school to go to, and I don't want him coming into class all bruised and his teachers thinking he's a delinquent!"

Goku pouted while his eldest son gave a small laugh. "Sorry Dad, maybe after school." Goku perked up at that, before Gohan continued, "Speaking of which, that reminds me. Mum, I might be kinda late coming home after school." At Chi-Chi's narrowed eyes Gohan raised his hands in defence. "It's nothing bad! I just might be busy doing Great Saiyaman stuff!"

Chi-Chi sighed. "Fine. I guess you have a good reason. But try and be back before six, or there'll be no dinner for you!"

A chill ran up the three Saiyans' spines. Rarely was there a more frightening punishment for them than no food.

"Aha, no problem Mum," Gohan mumbled nervously.

* * *

Gohan made it to class relatively early, given that there were no crimes to take care of, and happily strolled towards what he now assumed was his regular seat. The only one of his three friends from yesterday who had arrived was Sharpner, who gave a curt nod in his direction. While he and Sharpner were on friendly terms, Gohan was able to recognise that the blond still wasn't the most sympathetic towards him. Then again, it might've just been a jock thing.

Before too long the rest of the students slowly trickled into class. When Erasa arrived, she gave Gohan a wave and wink, again causing the demi-Saiyan to blush, and Sharpner to snicker. _'Why are girls so weird?_ ' Gohan could've help but think to himself.

Videl was the last of the trio to arrive. She didn't say much in the way of greeting, and gave the others small nods. Gohan didn't know whether this was normal behaviour for her or not, but Erasa seemed to pick up on something. "Hey girl, you seem kinda grumpy. What's up?"

The raven-haired girl gave her friend a small scowl. "Some weird looking guy wearing a helmet and cape stopped a crime yesterday. The media are going crazy over him, calling him some kind of superhero. Pfft, what a joke," she spat.

Gohan couldn't help but frown a bit at that. While he was pleased he got his name out there, he didn't know why Videl would be so upset about it. Didn't she want to help people?

"Ahh, I heard something like that on the radio this morning," Erasa said. "I think he was called the Great Singingman or something."

"No, it was the Great Tireman," a bespectacled boy sitting in front of them chimed in.

"It was the Great Saiyaman!" Gohan grumbled a bit too forcefully, causing the others to give him weird looks.

"How would a country bumpkin like you know that?" Sharpner enquired curiously.

Gohan gave a sheepish chuckle and scratched the back of his head, a bit disappointed in himself over his lack of self-control. "I uhh… heard from somebody who saw him."

Other than a snort from Sharpner, the others seemed to buy this, so Erasa turned her attention back to Videl. "So what is it about this guy that's got you so worked up?"

The scowl never left the raven-haired girl's face. "It's the fact that he's a trickster."

Gohan couldn't help but speak up at this point. "A trickster? What do you mean?"

Videl sighed and turned her sharp gaze to him, her blue orbs locking onto his onyx ones. "You know, the kind of person who uses tricks to fly and shoot explosives. My dad said it was all smoke, wires and mirrors."

The demi-Saiyan frowned. "Just because you don't understand how something works doesn't mean it's a trick."

Videl's eyes narrowed. "Oh yeah? And what would you know about this, Gohan?"

The spiky-haired boy knew he was treading dangerous territory here. He knew he needed to keep a low profile, but Videl's words struck a chord with him, and he felt a burning desire to respond that he was rather unfamiliar with. "I read in a book that bukujutsu, the ability to fly, is a legitimate martial arts technique. It was what the Crane School was most famous for."

A brief look of shock flashed across Videl's features, before she snorted. "I don't know how you knew that, but you should know that my father debunked all that crap when he became champion of the Budokai. And if he was lying, then why didn't anyone come forward and prove him wrong?"

Gohan had no response to that. Why did no one step up to prove Mr Satan wrong? He knew that the Z Warriors didn't want the publicity, but what about the other Budokai participants who fought at the same tournaments as his father and the others? People like King Chappa and Namu? Sure, Mr Satan had his fair share of detractors, but none of the people who actually had the ability to counter his claims had done so, and the demi-Saiyan had no idea why.

The conversation ended the moment Mr Savage walked into class and told them all to take out their textbooks. Gohan decided to put those thoughts aside and focus on his schoolwork.

He never once picked up on the subtle looks Videl was shooting him.

* * *

The group of four sat down underneath the same tree as yesterday. The three humans gave Gohan some space as he threw down another food capsule, revealing several plastic containers filled with various curries.

Erasa whistled. "Again with all that food." She then flashed him a cheeky grin. "Do you need any help finishing it?"

Gohan gave a weak chuckle in response. "Help yourselves, guys."

The group then dug into their lunches, with the human trio occasionally sampling some of Gohan's curries. All the while, the demi-Saiyan couldn't help but feel as if he'd forgotten something.

"So Gohan," Videl began once she'd finished eating. "Did your parents give you an answer?"

The spiky-haired teenager almost choked on the piece of carrot he was swallowing. "An answer to what?"

Videl's eyes narrowed, forming what Gohan now assumed was her default facial expression. "You said you were going to ask your parents whether the three of us can come over sometime."

Gohan's eyes widened and this time he choked for real. He quickly thumped his chest to compose himself. _'I knew I'd forgotten something!'_

"Well?" Videl asked, a frown plastered across her lips.

Gohan laughed meekly and scratched the back of his head. "Sorry Videl. I kinda forgot. I had a lot going on yesterday."

"Like what?"

"W-well, it was my first day of school and all," Gohan stammered. "Then I had to go see a family friend for something, and didn't end up getting home until really late. You know how far away I live," he finished with an awkward chuckle.

"I guess you have a point," Videl said, a smirk replacing her frown. "That just means you can ask them now."

"What? But we're in school?" Gohan protested.

Videl shook her head with a chuckle. "Don't you have a mobile phone?" At Gohan's blank stare she sighed. "You really are a country bumpkin. Never mind, you can borrow mine."

Gohan hesitantly accepted the phone. "Are you sure I should do it now? Wouldn't it be better to wait until after school?"

"No, now is fine," Videl said with a strange smile. "What's the matter? Embarrassed?"

"No!" Gohan retorted a bit too quickly, his cheeks reddening. Erasa giggled and Videl smirked at the sight. Seeing he had no choice, Gohan conceded. "Fine," he muttered.

The demi-Saiyan eyed the strange rectangular device curiously. _'So I just press the correct numbers and then press the one that looks like a ringing phone? Looks simple enough.'_

Gohan entered his home phone number, pressed the green button, and waited. A few rings later, it was answered by a loud yet childish voice. "Hi! Goten here! Can I help you?"

"Hey Goten, it's big brother. Is Mum there?"

"Gohan!" the younger demi-Saiyan exclaimed gleefully. "What are you doing? How's school? Are you having fun?"

Gohan gave a nervous chuckle. "It's lunchtime, Goten. Yes, I'm having fun. Now can you put Mum on please?"

"Okay!"

There was some shuffling in the background, and Gohan chanced a look at his three friends to see them all giving him odd looks. Sharpner was smirking for some reason and Erasa looked like she had hearts in her eyes. Videl's expression, however, was unreadable for some reason. Before Gohan could ponder those thoughts further a voice even louder than Goten's reached his ears.

"Gohan!" Chi-Chi shrieked, causing the boy to wince and move the phone away from his ear. "What are you doing calling home during school!? I sent you there to learn, not be a delinquent! Are you in trouble!?"

"No, Mum, nothing like that!" Gohan protested. "It's lunchtime now, and I called because I needed to ask you a question."

There was silence for a few seconds, before Chi-Chi broke it. "What kind of question?"

"Well," the demi-Saiyan laughed uneasily, "my three friends were wondering whether they could come over sometime. They grew up in the city, so they want to experience the rural life a bit."

Nothing was said on either end, Chi-Chi no doubt deliberating on what she'd heard. This didn't last long though. "My baby boy is already making friends! And three of them? I knew I raised you right," she squealed giddily. "Of course they can come over! In fact, they can spend the whole weekend here if they want!"

Gohan paled. It wasn't that he didn't want Videl, Erasa and Sharpner over for the weekend. In fact, he was thrilled he'd get to spend more time with them. The problem was, while he was at school he could keep a low profile fairly easily. But at home, with Goku and Goten around, doing so would be significantly more difficult. But he knew he couldn't say no after this. Just what was his mother thinking when she agreed to this?

"Gohan, are you there?" Chi-Chi demanded, a hint of worry evident in her voice.

The demi-Saiyan scratched the back of his head and gave a weak chuckle. "Yes. Everything's fine, Mum. Anyway, I have to go now. I'll see you, Dad and Goten later."

"Goodbye Gohan! Remember to listen to your teachers. Love you!"

Gohan's cheeks took on a scarlet hue reminiscent of a tomato as he handed Videl back her phone. Sharpner burst into laughter while Erasa erupted into a fit of giggles. Even Videl seemed to find it hard to contain her laughs.

"Well that was… interesting," the raven-haired girl commented.

"No kidding," Sharpner said in between his guffaws. "Who knew Brains was such a mummy's boy."

"Don't be like that, guys!" Erasa admonished, before flashing Gohan a sparkling grin. "I thought it was adorable!"

The boy in question scratched the back of his head nervously, wondering what the hell just happened. _'Is this what they call friendly banter_?' He shook that thought from his head, not deeming it important enough to focus on. "I take it you heard all that then?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yep," Videl grinned. "Spending the weekend at yours sounds great. We'll be at your house Saturday morning. That cool with you guys?" she asked the others.

"Of course!" Erasa beamed, while Sharpner just grunted in response.

"Great," Gohan muttered half-heartedly.

* * *

"And the ancient philosopher Diarrheus noted…"

Gohan let out a weary sigh as he copied down more notes into his exercise book. He was in History class, which was being taught by a kind old lady called Mrs Cruel. Despite her kindness however, her monotonous teaching style left many students bored out of their wits. Gohan was no exception.

The demi-Saiyan was snapped out of his robotic stupor by a loud beeping noise close by. His curious gaze fixed itself on Videl, as the raven-haired girl's watch seemed to be creating the disturbance.

"This is Videl," she spoke into it.

"Several armed criminals have taken a bus full of elderly citizens hostage!" came a voice from the watch. "We're in pursuit along route 81, heading towards the mountains, but we're losing them!"

"Got it, be there shortly." Videl then stood up with a look of grim determination on her pretty features, and ran down the stairs. "Sorry ma'am, duty calls!" she said as she ran past the teacher.

"Be careful, dear," Mrs Cruel replied with a frown.

After that the class resumed like nothing had happened. Gohan was shocked. _'What the hell was all that about!?'_ He turned to Erasa and whispered, "What just happened?"

"Oh, it's Videl's hobby, being a champion of justice, and having Mr Satan for a father," Erasa replied nonchalantly. "She's pretty tough so the cops are always asking her for help."

"What?" Gohan remarked, the shock on his face tangible. "They ask her to help them catch criminals?"

"Don't underestimate Videl," Sharpner chuckled. "She's way stronger than I am. Some say she can even rival her dad."

At that the demi-Saiyan paled. _'That's not really something to be proud of… still, what are the police thinking? Even if she's a talented martial artist, she's still an unarmed high school girl! What do they expect her to do against heavily armed criminals!? This is insane!'_

Gohan was supremely thankful that the Great Saiyaman was now a thing. Still, he couldn't just go after her, unless he wanted to look suspicious. _'What to do, what to do… ah!'_ "Excuse me!" he called out, shooting out of his seat as though it were on fire. "May I please go to the restroom?"

"Such nice manners," Mrs Cruel beamed. "Of course you may."

Once Gohan was out of the class, he dashed up to the school roof, where he had landed as Saiyaman that morning. After making sure no one was around, the demi-Saiyan pressed the red button on his watch, and felt the familiar sensation of a towel draping over him as the Saiyaman outfit materialised instantly over his school clothes.

With his adrenaline still pumping, Gohan shot off the roof determinedly. He then came to a complete halt seconds later and scratched the back of his helmet. "Where's route 81? Ahh well, guess I'll just sense out Videl's ki."

Once he'd found it moving rapidly in one direction, he flared his own ki and sped off toward towards it. A few minutes later, he spotted a yellow jetcopter hovering above a red bus that was going way over the legal speed limit.

Gohan was about to fly towards it when he noticed the jetcopter's door open and a petite raven-haired girl hang down from the rail. With remarkable agility she managed to capsulise it, then immediately drop down and land on the roof of the bus with a forward roll.

 _'Impressive, but just what exactly can she do from there?'_ Gohan wondered. The answer came to him almost immediately, as she managed to avoid bullets being shot from inside the now swerving vehicle, then swing inside through a window, breaking it in the process. The demi-Saiyan picked up on the kis inside the bus, and could tell that none even of them even held a candle to Videl's. _'Still, if they're armed and she isn't… NO!'_

Gohan was snapped out of his thoughts when he noticed the bus seeming to drift forward aimlessly… right towards a railing that made way to a large and deep ravine. Flaring his ki, Gohan flew towards the accident waiting to happen, and situated himself just underneath where the bus would drop once it smashed through the railing.

Once it finally happened, the demi-Saiyan was perfectly poised to raise his hands and catch the bus on its underside. Letting out a sigh of relief, he then slowly levitated upwards and placed it gently down onto the road.

Gohan had a small smile on his helmeted face as he watched the passengers pour out, inhale the fresh air, and thank the heavens they were saved. Videl was the last one to exit the bus, her face slightly red and faint bruises on her knuckles. She too bore a smile of relief, which widened slightly when she took in the caped superhero for the first time.

Videl hesitantly made her way over and fidgeted slightly before saying, "Thank you for saving us." She still looked a tad nervous, but Gohan was able to pick up on that familiar glimmer of curiosity twinkling in her oddly enchanting blue eyes. "Can I at least get the name of my saviour?"

At that Gohan leapt back, much to Videl's shock. "I am…" His left fist rose above his head and his right arm shot out towards his left side. He then turned his whole body to the right, still facing forward, and opened his palms as though he were wielding a naginata. "The new hero in town – the champion of justice…" Both arms shot out to the sides and he did several quick sprints on the spot, finishing with a vigorous stomp. His legs shot out into splits as his right hand came down, before he hopped back up and spread his legs, then curved his hands inwards, making a V shape just above his forehead. "The Great Saiyaman!"

Videl's mouth hung open in sheer disbelief, and the elderly passengers mimicked her expression. Gohan took all this in and smiled inwardly. _'That was perfect! All those hours practising last night really paid off!'_

Meanwhile, all Videl could think of was, _'Is this guy for real? What a loser._ ' She then inwardly cursed herself for being so impressed by his earlier stunts, and was reminded of the fact that he was simply a trickster.

At that moment the police finally pulled up, surveyed the scene with wide eyes, and stared uneasily at the Great Saiyaman. "Umm, excuse me, sir, but who exactly are you?" one of the cops asked hesitantly.

Saiyaman simply put his hands on his hips and grinned. "Haven't you heard? I'm the new superhero in town… the Great Saiyaman!"

After a few seconds of stunned silence, the police officer turned to Videl and raised his eyebrow. She simply shrugged in response. "I'll file a police report after school. In the meantime, there are several unconscious crooks inside the bus who require a visit to the slammer."

After the cops had gotten to work, Videl walked over the helmeted superhero, who had just started walking in the opposite direction. "Hey!" she called out. "Where do you think you're going?"

The caped man turned around and gave her a toothy grin. "I have places to be, and people to see. No time to dawdle!"

"Wait! I'm not done with you yet!" she said as she marched up to him and crossed her arms. "Who are you really?"

Saiyaman chuckled. "If I wanted you to know, I wouldn't have worn a helmet." He then hovered a few feet into the air and gave her a small wave. "Until next time, Miss Videl!"

 _'He really can fly… and I don't see any wires,'_ she observed mentally as he disappeared into the distance. _'Just how is he doing that? Wait a minute, how did he know my name!?'_

Videl sighed. She had so many questions, and so few answers. She then checked her watch. _'If I hurry, I can still make it before class ends.'_

* * *

As Videl piloted her jetcopter back towards Satan City, she couldn't help but let her thoughts drift towards the helmeted superhero who had saved her life not that long ago.

 _'Ok, so he has super strength and the power of flight,'_ she mused. _'I don't exactly know his motivations, but he does seem to genuinely want to help people.'_ The raven-haired girl then frowned. _'Don't know what's up with those stupid poses though… is he trying to be a ballerina or something? In any case, he better not be trying to muscle in on my turf.'_

Orange Star High School soon came into view, but a whole other slew of questions had popped up. _'I wonder if there's any relation between Saiyaman and the Golden Warrior. Their powers are similar, but one glows and the other doesn't.'_ Videl then slammed her fist down onto the dashboard and let out a frustrated cry. _'Why does this have to be so confusing? Why can't people just be upfront about stuff like this? Why is all of this happening now!?'_

Videl hadn't calmed down by the time she landed, and ended up walking back into class with a scowl on her face. The other students seemed to pick up on this and decided not to say anything. They knew very well that an angry Videl wasn't someone to trifle with.

Of course, that didn't apply to Erasa. "Hey girl, why the scowl? Did the bad guys get away?"

"No," Videl answered curtly. "They all got caught, and the old people were saved, but that new superhero, the Great Saiyaman, was partly responsible."

Erasa's eyes lit up. "Really? What's he like? Is he cute? I bet a big, strong superhero like that has a studly body to match!"

Sharpner snorted, and Gohan's ears became the shade of a cherry. Just what was up with that guy? How sheltered was he if talk like that got him all flustered?

"Well?" Erasa demanded, distracting Videl from her thoughts.

"How am I supposed to know?" she retorted with a frown. "He was wearing a helmet. And I wasn't paying attention to his body. I was more distracted by those stupid dance poses he was doing."

"A dancer, huh?" Erasa's smile widened. "I wonder how well he dances underneath the covers."

Gohan slammed his textbook shut, the red from his ears now spreading to his whole face.

"What's wrong with you?" Videl asked in a not too friendly tone. She wasn't in the mood for the new kid's eccentricities at the moment.

"Leave poor Gohan alone," Erasa shot back. "He only just got back into class not long before you did. He spent a long time in the toilet being sick."

The harshness in Videl's voice disappeared and was replaced with curiosity. "Oh? And just when did he go to the toilet?" she enquired with a raised eyebrow.

"Immediately after you got the call from the police," the blonde girl replied nonchalantly. "All the excitement must've gotten to him."

"Is this true, Gohan? About you being sick and all?"

The spiky-haired boy nodded meekly. "Yeah… it's kind of a problem that runs in the family," he said with a nervous chuckle as he scratched the back of his head in what was surely a tic of some sort.

"I see," she remarked, deciding to file away that information for later. _'That's unexpected. Something about this whole situation doesn't add up…'_

"Anyway, so the Great Saiyaman ended up saving the day," Erasa said, getting back on topic. "Why is that such a bad thing?"

Videl's scowl returned full force. "Well, aside from the fact that he's a trickster, I don't like how he keeps his identity a secret. Just how are we supposed to trust this guy if we don't know who he is?"

"I don't think it matters what methods he uses." Everyone's eyes shot to Gohan, who seemed to have recovered from his earlier fit. "Just the fact that he's helping people makes him a good person in my book," he said softly.

"I don't need his help," Videl responded angrily. "I've been protecting this city long before that caped dork ever showed up. I was managing just fine without him, so he can buzz off back to whatever circus he came from!"

Gohan didn't reply after that, choosing instead to focus on Mrs Cruel's lecture. Videl glared at the new kid for a few more moments. _'Just what is up with this guy? Why is it that the moment I think I understand him, he does something that makes him even more mysterious!?'_

* * *

Videl sprinted through the streets with a sense of urgency, weaving past unaware pedestrians with well-practiced finesse. She was just on her way home from school when she received word that there was a robbery happening at a popular convenience store, and that the police needed help.

 _'Nearly there, I hope I'm not too late…'_

Videl turned the last corner and was ready to leap into action before the sight in front of her brought the raven-haired girl into an abrupt halt. Four unconscious people were being dragged into the back of a police van by the cops themselves, who had pleased grins on their faces. _'Don't tell me the apprehended the crooks without my help? That never happens!'_

She walked forward to ask what had just happened, before one of the police officers saw her and gave her a gentle wave. "Hey there, Videl! Sorry about calling you all the way here for nothing."

Videl shook her head. "That's alright. But would you mind telling me what happened here." She pointed at the unconscious criminals. "Were you guys responsible for this?"

The policeman gave her a hearty laugh. "I wish. We were hiding behind our cars waiting for you, when the Great Saiyaman swooped in and vanished from sight. The next thing we knew, these four bozos were dropped in front of us, completely unconscious."

"Saiyaman, huh?" Videl repeated through gritted teeth.

"Yeah," the policeman chuckled, not noticing her growing anger. "Aren't we lucky to have two awesome crime fighters backing us up? I bet the department over in West City is jealous! Anyway, sorry for the false alarm. See you around, Videl!"

The raven-haired girl clenched her fists and walked away, not willing to stay here in case she said something she'd come to regret. "Lucky is right," she spat. "You're lucky I wasn't there to rip that damn helmet off your head, Saiyaman…"

* * *

"Afternoon Sweetpea, how was school?" Mr Satan called from the living room as Videl stormed through the front door of their mansion.

She ignored her father's question and threw her schoolbag onto the floor, before heading into her personal training room and unloading all her fury on a punching bag.

Son Gohan, the Golden Warrior, and the Great Saiyaman. Three people who had recently come into her life; each of whom was proving to be an enigma in their own right. As she punched and kicked at the bag, the force of her blows creating large dents and slamming it from side to side, she resolved to get to the bottom of their individual mysteries.

A small smirk then formed on the crime fighter's lips. Hopefully this weekend her wish would come true for one of them.

* * *

Son Gohan felt a chill run through his entire body, giving him an eerie feeling that something bad was going to happen.

This momentary distraction allowed Goku to land a right straight to his son's nose, shattering it and sending the demi-Saiyan flying back and knocking over several trees, almost as though they were bowling pins and he was the ball.

"Come on Gohan, you know better than to lose your focus in a spar!" Goku called as he sped into view.

"I know," Gohan muttered as blood from his broken nose dribbled down his chin. _'But where did that come from? And why does it frighten more than the time I fought Cell?'_

* * *

Videl walked into class the following morning with her face scrunched into its trademark scowl. She sat down in her usual spot and forcefully opened up her textbook. Due to her anger, she didn't notice the inquisitive looks her three friends were giving her.

"Rough morning?" Erasa asked.

Videl groaned and turned to face the blonde. "Saiyaman stopped another crime this morning. A carjacking this time."

"That's good, isn't it?" Erasa inquired.

Videl sighed. "It's good that he's stopping crimes, but…" she paused, and contemplated her next words carefully. "But I arrived on the scene too late, and didn't get a chance to unmask him."

"Why would you even want to unmask him if he's helping protect the city and its people?" It was Gohan who spoke up this time, much to the other three's surprise.

The raven-haired girl let out another sigh and rubbed her temples exasperatedly. "We already went over this yesterday, Gohan," she said a bit forcefully. "I can't trust someone who hides his face behind a mask. How do I know what his motives are? How do I know if he really wants to help people, or if he's just deceiving us to make us vulnerable?"

Gohan paused for a moment, as though he were hesitant to speak. "Why are you so distrustful of others, Videl?" he asked softly.

At that the crime fighter gave a humourless chuckle. "When you've lived the life I have Gohan, you become used to people trying to take advantage of you just because of your last name." For a brief moment, Videl thought she saw a glimmer of guilt in the spiky-haired boy's eyes, but it passed as quickly as it came. Had she imagined it?

"It's one of the reasons I don't have that many friends," she continued after putting the thought aside for later. "I can't tell whether people want to be friends with Videl, or the daughter of Mr Satan. It's similar with Saiyaman." She then gave Gohan a stern gaze. "The jury's still out on you though. Although I suppose it wouldn't hurt to ask. Can I trust you, Gohan?"

The boy in question was silent for a few seconds, before he replied with, "Yes." His tone carried a surprising amount of confidence.

Videl gave a tiny smile. "Good."

* * *

Unfortunately for Videl, that brief conversation ended up being one of the few highlights of her week. She had gotten called out by the police several times while in school, and each time she had arrived at the crime scene only to find out that Saiyaman had already taken care of the situation. Every single trip had been a waste of her time, and to top it all off, she never even saw the helmeted superhero.

From what the police told her, he still kept up his stupid poses, but other than that he was extremely efficient. The crooks he came up against stood no chance. Whether it was a robbery, grand theft auto, a mugging, a kidnapping, or even a cat being stuck in a tree, Saiyaman was always there to save the day, demonstrating remarkable speed and strength in the process. And, much to Videl's annoyance, he always left the scene before anyone had a chance to question him.

It was now Friday, and school had just finished. As she walked home, Videl had a rare smile across her lips as she turned her thoughts to the weekend. For the first time in a long time, she was actually enjoying school more than she was crime fighting. The new addition to her group of friends made for a refreshing change.

She loved Erasa like a sister, and she tolerated Sharpner to a degree, but it was always the same with them. Erasa would always gossip about boys, or about who was dating who, or about some other girly stuff Videl cared little for. Sharpner, meanwhile, would always flirt with her, or boast about his sporting accomplishments, or try to flex his muscles during the most inappropriate moments. It was like a well-practiced routine, and one that was getting a bit stale.

Son Gohan, though, was a breath of fresh air. He was extremely odd, no doubt about that, and he seemed to have a serious bladder problem if his constant visits to the bathroom were anything to go by. However, he was a genuinely nice person, and Videl was an excellent judge of character. He didn't seem to care that she was Mr Satan's daughter, he just treated her like he did everyone else. Then again, Videl got the feeling he wasn't all that fond of her father, which was an oddity in itself.

However, all of his positive qualities didn't mean he was any less suspicious. Videl knew there was something strange about him, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was. Sometimes he would appear meek and nervous, while other times, albeit rarely, he would display a sense of authority that seemed beyond his years. He was also strangely curious about Saiyaman, and whenever Videl mentioned the caped superhero he would always be paying attention.

Then there were his eyes.

Videl often found herself staring into his piercing onyx eyes when he wasn't looking. They intrigued her; not just because of their unusual colouring, but because there seemed to be so much depth to them. Sometimes they would be warm; reflecting Gohan's kindness and gentle nature. Other times however, they would harden, as if they contained great anger and rage. In addition to that, on a few rare occasions, Videl would catch fleeting glimmers of pain in those onyx orbs, as if they had seen things no one should ever bear witness to.

Needless to say, Son Gohan was an enigma. And while Videl really was starting to see him as more of a friend, she also wanted to figure out what he was hiding. Unlike earlier in the week though, she wasn't sure whether she wanted to be right in her suspicions…

Videl was broken from her thoughts by a beeping coming from her watch. She scowled at the familiar noise, but answered nonetheless. "Videl here."

"Videl, we need your help!" spoke a frantic voice. "The Red Shark Gang has taken the mayor and his family hostage at their mansion! They're rigged the whole place with explosives, and they've got a small army out there keeping guard!"

The raven-haired girl's eyes widened. This sounded serious. "What are their demands?"

"One million zeni and…" the voice gulped. "And the head of Mr Satan."

It was as if a knife had pierced Videl through in the heart as a sense of panic overtook her entire body. The teenage crime fighter began shivering as though someone had poured a bucket of ice cold water over her head. She had only ever felt like this once before, and at the time she prayed she would never feel that way again.

"Videl! Are you there!?"

"Yes," Videl answered, trying to keep her tone strong and confident. "Have you tried getting in contact with my dad?"

"We have, but Mr Satan's not picking up his phone!" the voice replied.

Videl took a deep breath, feeling a slight bit of relief. "Ok. I'll be there as soon as possible."

The policeman on the other end hung up. Videl stood where she was, not moving. Countless thoughts flashed through her head, as well as countless possible scenarios of how this situation could play out. None of them were pleasant.

Videl scowled at her hesitation. This was so unlike her. So what if this was the most serious attack on the city since the threat of Cell? When she started helping the police she resolved to do her utmost best to protect the people of Satan City. It was her duty as the daughter of the world saviour himself to carry on his legacy.

Vide clenched his right fist hard enough to draw blood, and suppressed the fear she was feeling. _'This is my city, and those sons of bitches are going to rue the day they decided to hold it hostage.'_

Satan City's favourite daughter decapsulised her jetcopter and hopped in, then took off towards the crime scene. It didn't take her very long to reach the mayor's mansion, but she decided to exit her vehicle just outside the property limits so as to not arouse suspicion.

Videl then made her way to the crime scene, and the first thing she noticed was that the police had barricaded the area around the mansion. She spotted a familiar moustached face and ran up to him. "Chief! What's the situation?"

"Oh Videl, thank Kami you're here!" the chief said, the relief visible on his features. "We know the leader of the Red Shark Gang, Rock, is in the mayor's office on the top floor. That's where he's keeping the family hostage."

Videl nodded. That made sense. "How are you communicating with him?"

"The mayor has a direct line to my number in his office," he said, holding up a mobile phone. "Rock is using that to make his demands."

"Do you know where the explosives are located?" she asked.

The chief shook his head sadly. "No, unfortunately. All we know is that there are explosives. We don't know what kind, how many, or where they are."

Videl cursed inwardly. That was just one more thing she had to worry about. "One last thing; do we know how many hostiles are in the area?"

The chief paused. "We don't have an exact number, but we estimate there are around a hundred gang members here. About twenty are standing guard outside the house. These guys really went all out this time."

Videl's eyes widened. One hundred criminals, all of them likely to be armed… she felt yet another tinge of fear, before it too was suppressed. The crime fighter shook her head. This was no time to be cowardly. People's lives were on the line.

It was then that the chief handed Videl a bulletproof vest, which she took without hesitation and slipped on.

"Be safe, Videl," he said softly, the worry clear in his tone.

Videl mustered all her courage and gave him a shaky smile. "Don't worry, Chief. Being a hero runs in the family."

With that the raven-haired girl snuck off towards the mansion. It would be tough getting in, but Videl was confident in her abilities. Her smaller size was also beneficial for sneaking. She had been in the mayor's mansion a few times; some with her father, and others alone, when she was receiving an award of some sort. As such, she knew the layout of the building fairly well.

Videl's current destination was the backyard of the property. She knew there was a door there that led into the basement, which also served as a wine cellar. The plan was to enter through there, then make her way to the top floor, sneak into the mayor's office, and knock out Rock and his cronies. Afterwards she would lead the mayor and his family out through the way she came.

Despite her self-confidence, Videl wasn't a naïve girl. She knew this wasn't an easy plan to follow, and that there was a chance things could go horribly wrong. But she had no other choice. And like she told the chief, this was in her blood. If her father could save the world from an overgrown grasshopper, so too could she save a family from a group of armed crooks. This was also her chance to show the police, and Saiyaman, that she was still Satan City's protector.

That last thought invigorated Videl, and she pushed onward, making her way around the perimeter of police. Once she reached the back of the mansion, she climbed up a tree tall enough to allow her to look over the high brick wall, and spotted two crooks walking around the lawn, while one crook stood beside the door to the cellar. All three were armed with assault rifles.

Videl cursed inwardly. That would make things a lot harder. Still, it was easier sneaking in this way than through the front door.

The teenage crime fighter dropped down to the ground and searched around for a rock of some sort. It didn't take her too long to find one. After that, she snuck over to the wall. It was rather high, but that wasn't a problem for a trained martial artist such as herself.

Putting the rock in her mouth and resisting the urge to gag at the taste, Videl jumped up and gripped onto the top of the wall with her fingertips. She then slowly pulled her body up, just high enough so she could peer over the wall.

Videl then waited until the positioning was right, knowing she had only one chance at this. Once the opportunity presented itself, she jumped up onto the wall, dropped the rock into her right hand, and threw it with all her might at the crook guarding the cellar door. It hit him right in the forehead, causing him to let out a pained grunt and collapse to the floor, unconscious.

The other two crooks turned to the downed man in surprise, but this proved to be their downfall, as Videl leapt off the wall with an outstretched foot, and landed a flying kick right into one of the duo's cheeks. He was also knocked out instantly. Before his partner could react, Videl had dashed forward and swept his leg, sending him crashing to the floor. She then landed an elbow drop to his nose, and he too was down for the count.

Videl stood up and tried to calm her furiously beating heart. So far so good, but there was still much more to do.

She walked over to the cellar door, took a deep breath, and opened it. After doing so, Videl peered down into the opening. It was dark, signifying that the lights were off. She listened carefully for any footsteps, but heard nothing. With the area seeming to be clear, the girl crept down the stairs, trying hard to not make a noise.

Once she reached the wooden basement floor she stopped and surveyed the area. Several wine barrels were arranged in a neat row along the back of the room, giving the basement a homely appearance. It was quiet… too quiet. Videl's gut was screaming at her that something was wrong; her honed instincts telling her to be on her guard.

The floorboards creaked, and Videl ducked down just as a steel pipe went swinging into the spot where her head was a second ago. Eyes narrowed, Videl thrust her right elbow backwards, making contact with the groin of her attacker. She followed that up by quickly pivoting on her feet and driving her left fist right into his solarplexus. A cry of pain and a loud thump was all the girl needed to know that she had knocked him out.

Before she could gather her bearings, Videl heard a loud clapping. She turned her attention to the door which led to the upper floors of the house, just as a large, burly man stepped through it. If the scars marring his gruesome face were anything to go by, he had certainly been involved in some pretty vicious fights. He was followed into the room by several others, each of whom were built similarly to him, and each of whom were just as ugly.

A thud sounded behind Videl, and she turned around to see several more goons make their way into the basement through the cellar door from which she'd entered. Some of the crooks in the room carried weapons such as pipes and wooden boards, and there was even a pair wielding machetes. Others were unarmed. But the one trait they all shared was sickening smirks adorning their hideous faces.

Before too long, Videl was surrounded. She felt the urge to gulp, but fought it down and scowled instead. Her heart was beating like crazy, but she wasn't going to give these freaks the satisfaction of knowing they had her slightly intimidated.

"Well, well, well, look who we have here, boys," the scarred man who was clapping spoke. "Looks like the boss was right. The bitch fell right into our trap."

"A trap?" Videl questioned before smirking. "I'm surprised a bunch of gorillas like you have the capacity to think up something so elaborate."

Several growls sounded across the room, but the man who was speaking gave a wry chuckle. "Think you're funny, huh? We'll see just how funny you are when your body is broken so bad not even your daddy will recognise you. Get her, boys!"

With what sounded like a battle cry, the crooks all charged at Videl, weapons raised and fists pulled back.

The girl in question took a deep breath, assumed a standard fighting stance, and waited for the first attack. A punch came towards her. She swiftly parried it, then judo flipped her attacker onto the floor. She followed this up by launching a side thrust kick at one man who was charging at her, which sent him flying backwards.

It was at this point that all hell broke loose. The crooks weren't trained martial artists by any means, but they were far heavier than Videl, and they had her heavily outnumbered. On top of that, there wasn't much room to manoeuvre in this small basement area, so Videl's greatest weapon – her agility – was made useless.

Nevertheless, Satan City's favourite daughter wasn't going to back down. Videl used her greater speed to pepper her attackers with lightning fast jabs and snap kicks while simultaneously avoiding their blows. This put some distance between her and one group of foes. She took advantage of this by rushing forward into the now open space, and slid underneath the legs of one of the goons. As she was doing so, she made sure to launch her fist right into his crotch.

She ignored his cry of anguish and jumped to her feet. She was now backed against the wall, but at least she wasn't surrounded. With another cry, her attackers charged at her. Videl made use of her superb agility by dodging as many blows as she could, while countering whenever the opportunity arose. However, some of her opponents' fists or weapons still hit their mark.

Videl ignored her slowly building aches and continued defending herself. A spiked board came flying towards her head. With a battle cry, she punched through the wood, her bloodied fist following through and breaking her attacker's nose. However, she was unable to stop another board from whacking into her hip.

Videl let out a cry of pain as the force of the hit sent her stumbling to the side, but she quickly recovered and narrowed her eyes at her latest attacker, who was now sporting a feral smirk. He went in for another blow to the hip, but she crescent kicked his hand as it came towards her, sending the wooden board flying into one of his partners. Videl then grabbed his head and thrust it down so that it met her rising knee, the crushing strike rendering him unconscious.

Most of the goons hesitated for a second, but that was all Videl needed to gain an advantage. She leapt back against the wall, and then rocketed herself off it with a fierce cry, swinging her right leg out as she did so. The appendage made contact with several crooks' faces, breaking some jaws and sending people flying.

Some of the wounded men went stumbling back into the wine barrels. Unfortunately, their weight was too much for the barrels to take, so they shattered, spraying everyone in the cellar with thick liquid. It did nothing to lessen the chill Videl was feeling, and now the wet floor reduced her mobility even more.

The crime fighter took a brief moment to scan her surroundings. She had incapacitated about half of her opponents, but most of them were unarmed. The majority of goons now wielded weapons. She had done well, but she hadn't gotten off injury-free either. Bruises marred her face and arms, her knuckles were split and bleeding, and she felt a sharp pain in her ribs every time she moved. To top it all off, her energy was dwindling rapidly. Videl knew her chances of surviving were lessening as the fight wore on, but she wouldn't give up. The least she could do was hold her own until _he_ arrived.

The two machete wielders charged her, while some of the other goons moved to surround her. She ducked one slice of the sword, then sidestepped another. Whenever she got the chance, Videl would strike out at one of the crooks surrounding her. After several dodges of the blades, an opportunity presented itself; Videl shot forward and jammed one hand into the machete wielder's shoulder, and another into his wrist. This halted his attack mid-swing, and gave her the chance to twist him around, right into the path of his partner's blade.

A sickening cry reverberated around the room as steel sliced flesh, but Videl swallowed the bile rising up her throat and took advantage of the momentary distraction to swing a roundhouse kick into the second machete wielder's face and knock him out.

Videl panted heavily. She was down to her last reservoir of energy, but now that her two biggest threats were taken out, she could do this. It seemed the goons were thinking the same thing as they stepped back, fear evident on their faces. Videl smirked. "What's wrong, fellas? Is the bitch too much for you boys to handle?"

The scarred man from before stepped forward, his already gruesome features made even more ghastly by the frown adorning his face. "I gotta admit, you have spirit," he grumbled. "However, playtime is over." Videl's eyes widened as the man pulled out a handgun and pointed it towards her. "Any last requests, bitch?"

Videl flipped him off. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

The man chuckled. "Defiant till the end." He then pulled the trigger.

The next thing Videl knew, something sharp had pierced her neck, and she felt herself becoming drowsy as the world blurred. Why wasn't she dead?

Then everything went dark.

* * *

Gohan's chopsticks dropped onto his plate with a clang, the little piece of rice on them rolling onto the table.

"Gohan, what's wrong?" Chi-Chi asked worriedly.

The demi-Saiyan looked at his family, taking note of their concerned expressions. "Videl's ki just plummeted all of a sudden," he said as he stood up and made his way to the door. "I'm sorry, but I have to go."

"Be safe!" Chi-Chi called out as he left the house.

Gohan didn't respond and simply flared his ki, then shot off into the sky. He transformed into Saiyaman and sped towards Satan City, hoping he'd be able to find Videl before anything bad happened.

* * *

Videl's eyes shot open as a thunderous smack sounded around the room, just as the side of her face erupted in pain. She tried to bring her hands to her stinging cheek, but found she was unable to do so as they were bound together behind her back. As a ringing sound echoed in her surely ruptured eardrum, the world slowly came into focus.

As her vision cleared, Videl found herself sitting on the floor of a well-furnished office. A soft white rug covered the ground, while two bookshelves stood at one side. One was filled with books, while the other contained various photos, ornaments and awards. A large wooden desk was situated at the centre of the room, covered with various papers, and behind it sat the largest man Videl had ever seen.

He was incredibly muscular, had an enormous chin, and wore a thin, black moustache. He was clad in a white button up shirt, a black vest and tie, and had a strange pointed hat atop his head. This must've been Rock, the leader of the Red Shark Gang, if the triumphant smirk on his face was anything to go by.

"Two of my three greatest enemies in one room," he chuckled. "This calls for a drink, wouldn't you say?"

Videl looked to her side and saw she was seated next to a bespectacled, overweight man with a bushy, black moustache – the mayor, Videl recognised. Beside him was his wife, a pretty blond woman, and next to her were two young children, a boy and girl. All four of them looked frightened beyond belief. Standing at the door were two crooks, one of whom was the same guy who had shot her down in the cellar.

"You won't get away with this!" Videl spat.

"Oh, I think I will," Rock remarked casually as he poured himself a glass of wine. "I now have two excellent bargaining chips. The mayor will get me the money I want, and you will get me the head I want."

"Just what do you have against my dad?" Videl asked, the fury in her voice palpable. "He saved your life seven years ago!"

"And of that I am very grateful," Rock said. "But times change. The world is a cruel place, and your father is a big obstacle to me realising my dreams."

"What exactly do you want?"

Rock chuckled as he swirled the wine in his glass. "I want what any great man wants. Power and wealth."

Videl scoffed. Her cheek was still stinging from the slap, but even that couldn't stop the defiant smirk that formed on her lips. "You won't get away with this, you know?"

Rock drank the rest of his wine and threw the glass against the wall. He then stood up and spread his arms. "And who's going to stop me?"

"The Great Saiyaman," was Videl's response.

Rock raised an eyebrow. "Ahh yes, your superhero friend. While his powers are no doubt great, even he cannot defeat an army."

Videl resisted the urge to chuckle. While she was no big fan of Saiyaman, she knew he was her only hope. And not just hers, but the mayor's family's as well. _'Speaking of which, where is that caped dork?'_ The fact that he had yet to show up was extremely odd, especially given his punctuality record with the other crimes earlier in the week.

She still didn't know what to make of the man, but now she had no other choice than to trust him. If his intentions were pure, he would stop Rock and the Red Shark Gang. If they weren't… well, she didn't want to think about that at the moment.

Videl then spotted a small rectangular object on the mayor's desk that had a red button on it. She could work with that. "Where did you place the C-4?" she asked Rock.

"Here, there and everywhere, Miss Satan," the gang leader chuckled as he turned back to face her. "I'm not surprised you were able to figure out the type of explosives just by looking at the detonator. However, I'm afraid it won't do you any good." His hand reached down for the detonator only to grab nothing but air.

"I wouldn't be so sure!"

Everyone in the room turned their attention to the newcomer. His cape flapped in the wind of the now open window, and his orange helmet reflected the sunlight. The Great Saiyaman had one hand on his hip while the other was up in the air, holding the detonator. No one said anything as the superhero's covered eyes scanned the room – from Rock, to the goons, to the mayor and his family, and finally to Videl. His gaze lingered on her longer than it did the others and she noticed his jaw clench.

The two goons raised their guns to fire at Saiyaman but a sudden glare from him created a strong burst of wind that sent them flying back into the wall, and slumping to the floor unconscious. He then turned his attention to Rock and the temperature in the room seemed to drop. "I don't know who you are, or what you want, but this ends now," he said coldly. The sheer venom in his voice shocked Videl.

Rock pulled a magnum out of nowhere and pulled the trigger but a beam of light shot out from Saiyaman's finger and disintegrated the weapon before it could fire at the superhero. "I'm going to ignore that and give you one final warning. Your men are all defeated. I made sure of that. You are unarmed, and your only weapon is in my hands. Surrender now and you will at least get a fair trial."

There was silence for a few moments, before Rock burst out laughing, much to the shock of everyone in the room. "I will admit, I underestimated you, Saiyaman," he cackled. He then raised his left hand and lowered the sleeve, revealing a gold watch. His right hand then moved to caress it. "Nothing lasts forever in this cruel world, not even a man's dreams. I admit defeat, Saiyaman, but you have not won yet. Let's see how great you truly are."

With that he pressed one of the buttons.

"NO!"

Videl saw Saiyaman firing a massive beam of blue light into the ground, and the next thing she knew there was a rush of wind and she was sitting on grass, looking down at a large crater. There were shocked gasps from beside her, and she turned her head to notice the mayor and his family were there as well. Just what exactly had happened? The mayor's mansion was gone and there was an enormous crater in the ground, but shouldn't there have been a massive explosion that blew them all to bits?

"I'm sorry I couldn't save your house, Mr Mayor." Videl felt the ropes binding her hands together get cut. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Saiyaman freeing the mayor's family as well. "I had no idea he had another detonator. If only I'd known I would've-"

"Stop!" the mayor shouted. Saiyaman opened his mouth but a hand from the mayor silenced him. "You have nothing to apologise for, my boy. Without you I would've died, my family would've died, and Miss Satan would've died. I am in your debt."

Saiyaman was caught off guard as the mayor wrapped his stubby arms around the superhero and gave him a hug. "Thank you so much," he sobbed into the taller man's chest. Saiyaman took a few moments to compose himself, before he gave a small smile and returned the hug.

All the while, Videl was observing what was happening with wide eyes. She was trying to process what had just occurred, but her mind was unable to form rational thoughts. She then noticed Saiyaman walking towards her.

The helmeted superhero came to a stop in front of her and scanned her face with a frown "Are you alright, Videl?" he asked gently.

"Please," Videl scoffed, finally regaining some of her trademark vigour. "It'll take a lot more than that to keep me down."

"I'm glad," Saiyaman said with a smile.

Videl stared at his helmet for a few moments, trying to peer through his visor. This was the first time he'd spoken to her since the stolen bus incident earlier in the week. Despite having a ton of questions she'd wanted to ask him, only one was at the forefront of her thoughts. "How did you do that?"

Saiyaman sighed and scratched the back of his helmet. "Lots of training."

"Training?" Videl repeated. "So does that mean anyone can learn to do that?"

The superhero paused, as if deeply contemplating his next answer. "Yes," he said after a couple of seconds.

Videl processed his words. She swallowed as she pondered her next question. "Can you train me?"

"What?"

The raved haired girl scowled. When she asked her question, she certainly didn't expect Saiyaman's response to be his mouth flopping open like a fish.

"You heard me," she stated. "As much as I hate to admit it I would've… died if you hadn't been there. I don't ever want to be put in that situation again, so please, train me to have powers like yours."

Saiyaman let out another sigh as he turned his head and stared up at the sky. "I'm sorry Videl. I can't."

The crime fighter felt tears well in the corner of her eyes but she forced them away. She would not show weakness here. "Why?" she spat. "Is it so you can continue being the hero? So you can swoop in at the last second and save the day? Do you even care what happens to me?"

"It's not like that at all," Saiyaman said softly as he turned back to face her. "It's just…" He ran a hand over his helmet. That was all the information Videl needed.

"Do you not trust me?" she choked out.

"I do. It's just… complicated," he mumbled sorrowfully.

"So you don't trust me." Videl fought back the tears and gave the superhero her most ferocious glare. "Fine then. I'll just get stronger on my own. I don't need your help."

She turned around and stormed off.

"Videl, wait!"

At the sound of her name the girl turned around and gave Saiyaman a hopeful look. She was surprised when he threw a small green bean to her. "Eat this. It'll help."

She eyed the morsel of food with distaste and pocketed it for later. She had to go and give a police report now, which was the last thing she wanted to do. _'Curse you, Saiyaman. I should've never gotten my hopes up.'_

Meanwhile, up in the sky, one Son Gohan was flying towards Mount Paozu in his Saiyaman outfit, a frown adorning his features. _'I'm sorry Videl. As much as I want to help you I'm just… not ready. I hope you understand.'_ He then tried to focus on something more cheerful, but his frown only deepened. _'I hope Dad and Goten didn't eat my lunch.'_

* * *

 **AN: I briefly contemplated ending the chapter immediately after Videl got shot, but since it's Christmas for a lot of people, I decided to be nice and finish up the rest of the scene. I hope the end product was satisfactory. In case anyone was wondering what the hell happened at the end there, in Dragon Ball Master Roshi put out a fire on Mount Fry-Pan with a Kamehameha. I simply borrowed that principle.**

 **I would like to sincerely thank everyone who favourited and followed this fic, and especially those of you who reviewed. I am not a perfect writer, and I am always looking to improve; both for my own desire to be better, and so that I can write a more engaging story for my readers. As such, any feedback would be much appreciated.**

 **Thanks again to The Fluff Queen Lilly-sama for helping me tighten up and improve some of the scenes in this chapter. If you haven't already, check out her work** **–** **she's awesome.**

 **In the meantime, I'd like to wish a very merry Christmas to those of you who celebrate it, and a very happy new year. Until next time!**


	3. Weekend at the Sons' Part 1

**Rising to the Challenge – The Legacy of Son Gohan**

 **Chapter 3 – Weekend at the Sons' Part 1**

"No turning Super Saiyan, no flying, no ki blasts, and no talking about Capsule Corp, space travel, or aliens. And definitely no mention of Saiyaman. That goes double for you, Goten."

Goku chuckled as he watched his eldest son pace up and down the kitchen with his hands behind his back. "Geez Gohan, stop worrying so much. You've only gone over this a dozen times," he said with a grin.

Gohan sighed and sat back down at the table to resume his breakfast. "I know Dad. I'm sorry, but this is my first time ever having friends over. I don't want to ruin it, or have them think I'm some kind of freak."

"Don't talk about yourself that way!" Chi-Chi shouted from across the table, pointing her fork at the elder demi-Saiyan. "You're not a freak! You're my baby boy, and one day you're going to be a world famous scholar. Anyone who thinks you're a freak doesn't deserve to be your friend."

Gohan scratched the back of his head in embarrassment and gave a sheepish grin. "Gosh, thanks Mum," he mumbled.

Inwardly though, he couldn't help but keep worrying. He didn't want to think about what would happen if his secrets were exposed. He'd never be able to show his face in public again. And then there was the matter of his family, who'd surely have to relocate somewhere else because their privacy would be ignored.

Gohan didn't like keeping secrets, and he hated lying to his friends. He wanted to tell them the truth about him, or at least parts of it, but the thought of the negative repercussions terrified him. For the first time in seven years, Gohan felt afraid.

* * *

"Are we there yet?" Sharpner asked for what felt like the hundredth time.

Videl felt the vein on her forehead throb in annoyance, and she fought back the urge to turn around and clock the blond in the face. The ride was long enough as it was, and she was still recovering mentally from the previous night, so she was in no mood to put up with Sharpner's quirks.

Erasa, no doubt picking up on her raven-haired friend's rapidly rising fury, turned around to face the blond sitting in the back. "Hey Sharp, you might want to stop with the questions. You remember what happened the last time you made Videl mad?"

The teenage girl in question glanced up at the rear-view mirror and saw Sharpner's face turn a ghostly white. She gave a tiny smirk at that. At least her intimidation factor was still strong.

The three friends flew through the sky for a few more minutes before Videl's eyes widened slightly. "Hey guys, I think I found it!"

Sharper and Erasa followed Videl's gaze and spotted a small, oddly shaped house in a clearing surrounded by trees on one side, and a cliff on the other.

"So Brains really does live in the middle of nowhere," Sharpner muttered.

"I think it looks great!" Erasa commented. "Really nice and peaceful. Beautiful scenery too."

Videl said nothing, but inwardly agreed with her female friend's assessment. It really was a nice looking location, and it definitely looked peaceful. For a brief moment, she wondered what it'd be like to live in such a place – away from all the pollution, traffic, and hustle of the big city… and certainly the media as well.

The raven-haired girl then shook those thoughts from her head and landed the jetcopter. After the trio had exited the vehicle, she capsulised it, and they began walking towards the house. Videl felt a slight tinge of nervousness for some reason, but she suppressed it.

The building itself consisted of three parts: a small domed area at the front, with two roofed areas attached to the back of it. Off to the left was a tiny hut with a pointed blue roof. Videl got the feeling it held some significance to the Son family.

Before the three friends reached the house, the door to the small domed building opened and out stepped the newest addition to their group. "Hi guys!" Gohan said cheerfully as he scratched the back of his head. Videl could detect a tiny hint of nervousness in his voice, which piqued her curiosity slightly.

The spiky-haired boy was dressed in some loose-fitting black pants, and a long sleeved white button down shirt. To top it off, he wore a pair of black laceless shoes. _'Again with the long sleeved clothing, even in this weather,'_ Videl mused. _'Still, at least he doesn't look as dorky as he does during school.'_

"Hey there, cutie!" Erasa greeted with a grin. "This is a great place you got here!"

Gohan chuckled as tint of red coloured his cheeks. "Gee, thanks Erasa. I'm glad you like it."

Videl felt now was the appropriate time to speak. "I agree with Erasa. Great place. And thanks for having us over," she said with a small smile. Sharpner grunted in agreement.

Gohan grinned widely at that. "Aha, it's no problem. Come on in, guys, I'll introduce you to my family."

The trio followed their friend inside the house. As soon as they stepped through the door, Videl surveyed the interior with her inquisitive eyes. A small wooden table with four chairs stood over wooden floorboards. There was a stove and sink off to one side, and some potted plants standing against the walls, which were a creamy colour. Two doors were situated at separate points in the room, no doubt providing entrance to the two roofed areas. This was the kitchen and dining area it seemed, and it looked rather homely.

A woman in a sleeveless yellow dress with a purple cloth across the back, blue pants and purple boots stood facing away from them, washing some dishes in the sink. Her black hair was tied back into a bun, giving her a dignified appearance.

She turned around, revealing youthful yet mature features, and for a brief second her eyes roamed the three guests, before a smile broke out on her face. "Hello there, you must be Gohan's friends. I'm his mother, Chi-Chi," she said as she brushed her hands with a cloth, and held one out for a handshake.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am, I'm Videl," the raven-haired girl stated as she shook the elder woman's hand.

"Hi! My name is Erasa," the cheerful girl said as she followed her friend's lead.

"And I'm Sharpner. It's nice to meet you," added the blond.

"I'm pleased to see my son's friends have such lovely manners. I hope you've been taking good care of him," Chi-Chi smiled.

"Mum!" Gohan protested, a fierce blush staining his cheeks. The others gave a small laugh at this.

It was at that moment that two others walked into the kitchen; a tall spiky-haired man wearing an orange gi with the kanji for 'Go' on it, and someone that looked like a miniature version of him.

"Hey there, I'm Goku!" spoke the taller one.

"And I'm Goten!" added his mini clone.

Videl froze for a moment, racking her brain on why that name sounded familiar. Her eyes then widened as she pointed at the man. "You're Son Goku! You won the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai, and came runner up in the 21st and 22nd!

Goku chuckled and scratched the back of his head. "Wow, people still remember that? I didn't know I was that famous!"

"Are you kidding?" Sharpner chimed in. "You're a legend in the martial arts community! Before Mr Satan showed up, you were a superstar!"

At the mention of her father's name, Videl was broken out of her stupor. That's right, Son Goku was one of those people her father called a trickster. But then again, he did win the Tenkaichi Budokai, and came runner up twice as a young child. Tricks or not, that had to count for something, right? Plus, this man was Gohan's father. Speaking of which…

"Gohan!" Videl said suddenly, causing all eyes to turn to her. "Why didn't you tell us your father was a former Budokai champion?"

"I didn't think it was that important," Gohan mumbled sheepishly.

Videl stared at the boy. Some things were starting to make sense now. Of course he wasn't that impressed by her father – his father was arguably just as great! And of course he defended Saiyaman – his father used the same tricks! But if his father was a fighter, did that mean Gohan was a fighter too? And what about Saiyaman? He said anyone could train to have powers like him, but were they actual powers or just tricks?

Videl felt a headache coming and resisted the urge to groan. Yes, she slowly unravelling the mystery that was Son Gohan, but every answer she found simple raised more questions. Hopefully by the end of the weekend things would be a lot clearer.

"Well, I suppose that's fair enough," Videl muttered, fixing Gohan a stern look that promised they'd be talking about this later. He gulped at that, making her smile inwardly. She then turned to Goku. "Mr Son, why didn't you come back to defend your title? Or enter any other tournaments?"

"Please, call me Goku," he responded with a smile, before scratching the side of his head. "I guess I just forgot about it. There wasn't a tournament for so long, and everyone I knew wasn't competing anymore. Besides, even if I wanted to compete, I was kinda busy with other things."

Videl wanted to prod even further, but she resisted the urge. She was a naturally curious girl, but she knew when it wasn't her place to pry. Hopefully she'd get something out of Gohan though.

"Wow, I'm friends with the children of two world champions!" Erasa commented giddily. Videl groaned inwardly. Of course her friend would consider that the most notable revelation.

"Ahh, that's right, Gohan told us you're Mr Satan's daughter, and a pretty good fighter yourself," Goku spoke. Videl suppressed a blush and glanced over at Gohan, who bore his own blush. "Do you train under your father?"

"No sir, not exactly," Videl replied truthfully. "He trained me a bit when I was younger, but I'm mostly self-taught."

The elder man's eyes widened slightly. "Really? That's impressive." He then eyed her with an odd, almost calculating gaze. "You have a lot of potential."

At that Videl did blush, but the comment still caught her off guard. "Really? What makes you say that?" she couldn't help but ask.

Goku chuckled. "Just a feeling I have."

"Alright, that's enough talk about martial arts," Chi-Chi interjected. "Gohan, why don't you show your friends where they will be staying. I need to get a start on lunch."

"Sure thing, Mum," the spiky-haired boy replied. He began walking towards one of the doors leading further into the house and beckoned the trio to follow him. "Come on, guys, this way."

As the three guests followed their friend up a wooden staircase, Videl was deep in thought. Gohan's family was almost as odd as he was. Putting aside the shock of who his father was, Goku looked like a true martial artist in every sense of the word – from his confident, broad-shouldered posture, to the subtle way his feet and arms were primed to spring into action at a moment's notice, the man was a true fighter. She also got the feeling that he knew more than he let on, and while his gentle and carefree demeanour seemed genuine, there was an aura of wisdom about him.

Videl then focused on that comment he made about her potential. While she knew she had a lot of potential, Goku said it with such confidence, and that look he gave her when he made that statement was so strange… it was almost as though he were peering into her very soul. She wanted to know what he meant, and hoped she'd get a chance to ask him before the weekend was over.

Then there was Gohan's mother. Chi-Chi seemed like a nice enough woman who cared deeply for her family, but Videl could tell that her word was the law around the house. Chi-Chi also seemed like a very stern and traditional mother figure, which almost explained some of Gohan's awkwardness. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she swore she'd heard the name Chi-Chi before…

"Videl and Erasa, you two will be staying in the guest room," Gohan spoke, breaking Videl from her musing. He scratched the back of his head. "There's only one bed, but it should be big enough for both of you."

"That's not a problem!" Erasa chirped. "We've had sleepovers before, right Videl?"

The girl in question scanned the guest room. True to Gohan's explanation, there was a large queen sized bed at the back, standing atop wooden floorboards. There were two wooden bedside tables on either side, and a fairly large dresser on another side of the room. The room was nice and simple, just the way Videl preferred. "Yep, the room is fine," she answered.

"Great," Gohan smiled. "Sharpner, you'll be staying in mine and Goten's room. He'll be sleeping in my parents' room for the night, so you can sleep in his bed."

"Cool," was the blond's response.

Gohan then opened a door, and the visiting trio were treated to a room slightly larger than the guest room. Two beds stood on opposite sides of the room, one made impeccably, and the other still messy. One side of the room was covered almost completely by a bookshelf stacked with books of various sorts, and just beside it was a study desk. The other side of the room didn't have a desk, but it did have a closet, and the wooden floor was covered by a heap of children's toys. There was a large dresser close to the door.

Gohan gave an uneasy chuckle. "Sorry about the mess. My brother doesn't tend to clean up often."

Sharpner didn't seem to mind, and instead gave a low whistle as he stared at what was no doubt Gohan's half of the room. "Damn, Brains, you'd think you were studying for a PhD or something with all these books.

Gohan blushed. "My mother was always pretty strict with my education. Anyway," he added, trying to change the subject, "just next door is a bathroom with a toilet and shower, in case anyone needs to use it."

Videl eyed the room curiously. It spoke volumes of Gohan's personality, and also that of his brother, she assumed. However, it didn't look like there was anything remotely incriminating that would prove her suspicions correct. That thought almost made her smile for some reason.

"So, uhh, what do you guys want to do now?" Gohan asked, a hint of nervousness in his tone. Having friends over seemed to be a foreign concept for him, sadly.

"Ooh! Let's go explore the forest! I'm sure there's a bunch of cool stuff in Mount Paozu!"

Videl turned to Erasa, a bit surprised at her suggestion. However, she had to agree it was a good one. This place as a whole was so different from Satan City, and the raven-haired girl couldn't help but feel a bit giddy about going exploring. "I think that's a great idea," she chimed in.

"But aren't there dinosaurs out there?" Sharpner enquired, some hesitance in his voice.

Videl almost smirked at his barely-concealed fear, but he raised a good point. She turned to Gohan and gave him one of her piercing stares.

The spiky-haired boy blushed slightly and gave a small chuckle. "Well sure, but they're out near the Diablo Desert. They tend to stay away from the forest region near my house, so there's nothing to worry about."

Videl raised an eyebrow at that. Why would dinosaurs avoid the forest region? If anything, there would be more food for them there, as well as more cover from the sun. Perhaps the Son family was involved somehow, although she couldn't fathom how that was possible. In the end she decided to cast that thought aside. "Well that's a relief."

Gohan grinned. "So you guys really want to go explore the area?" At their nods, he cast a glance at the clock on the wall. "Well I suppose we can go explore until lunchtime. I suggest you guys get changed into more appropriate clothing so you don't get bitten by anything," he finished with a chuckle.

Sharpner and Erasa paled a bit, but Videl maintained her composure. She was a Satan; such fear was beneath her. Besides, she'd encountered far more dangerous things than forest critters on the streets of Satan City.

* * *

The three city dwellers left the house after getting changed into more appropriate clothing. Sharpner now wore cargo pants with a camo pattern, combat boots and a black singlet. Erasa was dressed in long jeans, sneakers and a dark blue tube top. Videl's attire consisted of black leggings that went down to her calves, boots and an oversized white shirt.

Gohan was sitting back against a tree waiting for them, a large backpack resting beside him. When he saw the trio exit the house, he smiled. "Ready to go?"

"Let's get to it!" Erasa exclaimed.

With a small laugh Gohan stood up and slung the backpack over his shoulder. "Follow me then."

Videl felt a slight bit of trepidation as she and the others followed Gohan out of the clearing in which his house stood, and into the lush green woodland. However, as soon as she'd taken a few steps into the forest, that feeling disappeared completely and was replaced with one of wonder – it was as though she'd stepped into an entirely different world.

Videl's feet sank into the soft green grass; the uneven length reminding her that this was all natural and untouched by humankind. The trees rose high into the air, their branches and leaves shielding her from the sun's fierce rays. They weren't as tall as the buildings in Satan City, but they held a different sort of beauty to them. Each tree in the forest no doubt had a long, storied history of its own. It was marvellous, really, how something could start off as small as a mere seed, and then grow so tall as to blot out the sun.

Nature really was a beautiful thing.

"Enjoying the view?"

Videl nearly gasped at the sudden voice beside her. She turned her head and narrowed her eyes at Son Gohan, who looked as though he was struggling to hold in his laughter.

The girl took a step towards him but he raised his arms in defence. "Sorry Videl, I didn't mean to startle you," he chuckled. "I noticed you spacing out a bit and wanted to see what was up."

Videl halted her advance and scanned the area. Unbeknownst to her, while she was musing about the forest the group had come to a stop. Sharpner and Erasa were a couple of metres away, observing the scenery similarly to how she did.

"It's really beautiful here," she said after a few moments.

Gohan smiled. "It sure is. I could never swap this for living in the city."

"You're real lucky, you know that?"

"Oh?" Gohan enquired, a bit taken aback by the comment.

Videl let out a sigh. "Your father is almost as big a celebrity as mine in certain circles. If your family lived in the city you'd be hounded by the press constantly. You wouldn't be able to walk to school without some reporter shoving a mic in your face and trying to get some absurd comment out of you. But here, you don't have to worry about that. It's so quiet, and peaceful, and private…"

Gohan said nothing for a few seconds, looking as though he were deep in thought. "Have you ever considered getting away from it all?" he asked eventually. "Maybe moving to the country, away from all the media and whatnot?"

Videl paused. "A few times. But then I remembered that my dream wouldn't allow for such a lifestyle."

"And what is your dream?"

Videl turned towards her friend and stared into his deep, onyx orbs. "I want to win the Tenkaichi Budokai like my father did, but I don't want to stop there. I want to help people; maybe as a police officer, or a detective. I don't know yet. I want people to think I'm great on my own merits, not just as the daughter of Mr Satan."

Gohan returned her gaze with one of his own. "Tell me, Videl, why do you fight crime?" At her odd look he continued. "Is it because you want to step out of your father's shadow and make a name for yourself as your own person? Or is it because you genuinely want to help people?"

Videl stared at her friend. That was unexpected. It was even more unexpected that she had to ponder the question for a bit before answering. "I really do want to help people," she said determinedly. She then lowered her head slightly. "But I guess a small part of why I want to is so that I can step out of my father's shadow." The girl then met Gohan's eyes once more. "Do you think my motivations are selfish?"

"Not at all!" Gohan exclaimed, a wide smile stretching across his lips. "You want to do the right thing because you care for people; because you have the power to make a difference. That's an admirable quality in my book."

Videl returned his smile with one of her own. She'd never really thought so hard about why she fought crime before, but Gohan did raise some good points. Why was he so interested in that information?

Before Videl could contemplate that further, their two blonde friends returned. Erasa had a cheeky grin on her face while Sharpner's eyes were narrowed at Gohan for some reason. The spiky-haired boy, however, either didn't notice it or didn't care.

"Ready to move out?" Gohan asked the group.

"I sure am. Let's go," Sharpner grunted.

"Ok," was their host's response. "There's this neat place I want to show you guys that's not too far from here."

The three city dwellers followed Gohan a bit further into the forest until they came to a river bridged in by large rocks. As they walked down the riverbank, following the flow of the stream, Gohan gave a light chuckle.

"What's so funny, Gohan?" asked Erasa.

"Ahh, nothing much," he responded. "It's just that this is the very same river I fell into when I was four."

Videl's eyes widened, Sharpner and Erasa donning similar expressions. "You fell into the river!? Just what exactly happened?"

Gohan scratched the back of his head and gave her a sheepish grin. "I was kinda chasing a sabretooth tiger."

"What?" Videl exclaimed, finding it hard to believe him. "Why would you do that?"

"Well, uhh, it stole my hat and I wanted it back," he replied with a small smile.

"Pfft, yeah right," Sharpner commented, a slight mocking in his tone.

Gohan simply chuckled in response. "Believe what you want, but it did happen."

Videl, meanwhile, was trying to comprehend the story. It wouldn't be that unusual for a little kid to accidentally fall into a river. But to be chasing a sabretooth tiger while doing so? That just didn't sound right. Shouldn't it have been the other way around?

"If you fell into the river, how did you get back out?" she enquired.

"My dad rescued me," he replied casually. Videl was about to press the question further when Gohan came to a halt. "Anyway, we're here."

Videl turned her attention to the front and for the second time in the space of a few minutes, her eyes widened. The group had arrived a large clearing amidst the trees, in the centre of which stood a small lake. The stream which they had been following continued off into the forest.

"I come here with my dad and brother all the time," Gohan spoke, a serene smile adorning his features. "If you continue following the river there's a waterfall which leads into a bigger lake that's great for fishing. As for this lake, I'm assuming at some point in the past there was some flooding in the area, and the water from the river flowed over and filled up this space. Now, it makes for a great swimming spot."

Videl walked closer to the lake until she stood at the edge of the water, and peered down into it. It was as though she were looking into a mirror, with only the light ripples distorting the crystal-clear water serving as a reminder that this was actually a lake. Videl gazed at her reflection, taking note of her widened eyes, slightly open mouth, and general look of wonderment.

 _'To think that in this messed up world we live in, there exists something so simple, yet so beautiful and pure…'_

"This is a really pretty place, Gohan," Erasa commented, shaking Videl from her thoughts.

The spiky-haired boy laughed. "It is pretty great. That's why I wanted to show it to you guys. I bet you can't find a place like this anywhere near Satan City."

"You got that right," Sharpner mused, kneeling over to gently brush across the water with his fingers. A smirk then formed on his face. "You know, I think we should go swimming here later in the day."

"Yeah! That's a great idea!" Erasa agreed, the giddiness in her voice almost tangible.

Gohan scratched the back of his head and chuckled nervously. "You guys really think so?"

"Of course," Sharpner chuckled. "We spent all that time flying over here, so we might as well make the most of it. What's the matter, Brains?" he taunted light-heartedly. "Don't know how to swim?"

"No!" Gohan retorted, his cheeks reddening slightly. "I can swim just fine, thank you very much! If you guys want to go swimming, then I suppose we can come back here later in the afternoon."

"That suits me just fine," Sharpner smirked. "What do you girls think?"

"I think that's a great idea!" Erasa replied happily. "I figured something like this might happen so I brought my bathing suit just in case!"

"Yeah, I don't have a problem with it either," Videl added.

"It's settled then!" Sharpner exclaimed. He then walked over to Gohan and clapped him on the back. "Don't be so nervous, Brains, it'll be fun. You can show us city kids a thing or two," he added with a chuckle.

"Yeah, I guess I can," Gohan mumbled weakly.

Videl, meanwhile, found the whole situation rather amusing. It was almost cute how easily Gohan became flustered. She didn't want to admit it out loud, but she was actually really looking forward to going swimming. The past week had been exhausting, both mentally and physically, and a nice refreshing dip in such a beautiful lake would surely do her a world of good.

Gohan glanced down at his watch. "We should start heading back if we want to make it in time for lunch." He then opened his bag and took out three water bottles, which he threw to each of his guests. "Those are in case anyone's gotten thirsty."

"Aww, how thoughtful of you!" Erasa squealed, making the boy blush.

Videl said nothing as he opened her bottle and took a deep gulp. On the way here she'd been so caught up in admiring her surroundings that she'd forgotten just how thirsty she was. "Thanks Gohan," she said gratefully, opting to keep the bottle with her on the walk back.

"You're welcome," he smiled.

Once everyone had taken a drink, they set off back towards the Son house, making light conversation along the way. Even though they had only arrived that morning, and it was just past the afternoon, Videl had enjoyed the weekend so far. She had found out something major about Son Gohan, but she was also having a great time too. Things were finally looking up.

Once the group had reached Gohan's house, they were treated to an oddly amusing sight. Chi-Chi and Goku were piling an enormous amount of food onto a large wooden table set up at the front of the house, while Goten stood off to the side, a trail of drool dribbling down his chin.

"Whoa! Are you guys having your whole family over or something?" Sharpner asked Gohan, the shock in his voice evident.

Gohan let out a nervous laugh. "Not exactly… it's just… having a big appetite runs in the family."

Videl shared Sharpner's shock, but said nothing. Gohan had already shown them in school that he had a big appetite, but this was too much.

"Hey kids!" Goku called cheerfully as he poked his head out from behind a massive stack of plates he was carrying. "Did you have a good time?"

"We sure did, Dad," Gohan replied. "We're actually planning to go back to the lake later for a swim."

"Sounds fun!" Goku exclaimed.

"Alright, that should be that," Chi-Chi said, having finally set all the food onto the table, after which she took a seat and grabbed a plate and chopsticks. Once everyone had followed suit she said, "Dig in!"

Videl, being the courageous girl she was, had seen many scary movies in her time. She had rolled her eyes at extreme gore, been unmoving during jump scares, and laughed at psychological horror. However, nothing could've prepared her for the abomination that lay in front of her eyes. Goku, Gohan and Goten had become more black hole than human; devouring the food in front of them as though they were vacuum cleaners at the aftermath of a college party. Their hands flashed like lightning, and their mouths worked like trash compactors on turbo speed.

Once Videl had regained her composure, she thought back to the times she had seen Gohan eat at school. He always brought a lot of food, but that was because he couldn't finish it all by- _'No!_ ' Her eyes widened at the memories. Gohan had never actually claimed he needed their help finishing his food – he had simply never refused their offers.

For the past week, she, Erasa and Sharpner had been depriving this boy of his sustenance. One quick glance at the two blondes' equally shocked expressions was enough to confirm that they had just realised it as well. Despite the sheer absurdity of the scene, as well as the fact that no normal human should ever be capable of ingesting that much food, Videl couldn't help but feel a tad guilty.

Once she had recovered sufficiently, she started piling food onto her plate. There was a large variety to choose from – mostly various meats and different types of rice, as well as pastries, sauces and salads. She took a bite of her chicken yakitori and immediately felt her taste buds explode in joy. The meat was so flavourful and succulent that she wasted no time in finishing the rest of her skewer.

Videl then turned to Chi-Chi and gave her a grateful look. "This food is amazing, Mrs Son," she told the older woman.

Chi-Chi smiled in response. "Why thank you dear, I'm glad you like it. Cooking for three bottomless pits every day teaches you a thing or two. And please, no need to be so formal. Just call me Chi-Chi."

Lunch proceeded as normal from that point onwards, until little Goten finished his meal and patted his belly contentedly. He then turned to his older brother and gave him a curious look. "Hey big brother, are these two your girlfriends?"

Gohan spat out all the rice he was eating over his little brother, who was sitting directly across from him. Goten didn't seem to mind though, and wiped the grains off his face before turning his innocent eyes back to Gohan. "Well?"

Videl felt herself redden, and one glance at Erasa showed the blonde girl had a similar reaction. Sharpner, meanwhile, had dropped his chopsticks and was starting at Goten with his eyes and mouth wide open. Chi-Chi bore an unreadable expression, and Goku was too busy scarfing down his food to notice what had been said.

"No!" Gohan screamed, his whole face now a fierce crimson. "What possessed you to ask a question like that!?"

"Me and Trunks were watching something called a fashion show on TV when I went to his place," Goten answered casually. "There were all these girls walking up and down this box thing, and Trunks told me they were all his girlfriends." The young boy then smiled. "So are these two going to be my new sisters?"

Despite Videl not thinking it possible, Gohan's face reddened even more. Erasa, however, had a tiny trickle of blood running from her nose. Videl gaped at the scene before her, unable to find the proper words to say.

Gohan took a few deep breaths to compose himself, then turned to his brother. "No, Goten, these two aren't my girlfriends," he stated in a firm tone. "They're just friends, who happen to be girls. There is a difference. And next time, don't believe everything Trunks tells you."

"Oh," Goten replied cutely, before picking up another plate and digging in once more.

Videl was about to resume her own meal, albeit with slightly shaking hands, when Chi-Chi spoke up. "You know Gohan, it's never too start thinking about getting a girlfriend, or settling down," she said kindly. "In fact, your father and I got married immediately after the Budokai when we were 18."

Videl's chopsticks dropped onto her place, all the shock over Goten's question immediately evaporating. "That's why your name sounded familiar!" she called, pointing at Chi-Chi with a trembling finger. "You were one of only two female finalists in the Tenkaichi Budokai! You competed in the 23rd Budokai against Son Goku in the quarter finals and lost, but ended up getting married after the tournament!" The raven-haired girl then facepalmed. "Of course, I should've realised it sooner."

Chi-Chi, meanwhile, had a look of minor shock on her face. "Wow, I had no idea people still knew about that."

Videl shook her head. "Are you kidding? You were one of my idols growing up," she said with a tiny blush staining her cheeks, which Chi-Chi returned.

"Oh my, I'm flattered," the older woman remarked bashfully.

"So Gohan is the son of two famous martial artists? Neat!" Erasa commented cheerfully.

Sharpner, however, was looking at Gohan with something akin to… jealousy?

Videl ignored the blond and turned her attention back to Chi-Chi. An idea then formed in her head that she was slightly hesitant to follow through with. "So, uhh," she stammered in an uncharacteristic display of nervousness, "would it be alright if we had a spar later? That is, if you still train of course."

Chi-Chi raised an eyebrow. "A spar, huh?" the Son matriarch mused. "I haven't fought seriously in a long time, but I still practice from time to time to stay in shape. I have to if I want to keep up with these boys. Sure, we can have a spar," she added with a smile. "Although I'm warning you, I might be a bit rusty."

Videl's heart leapt at that, and she couldn't help but grin widely. She was just about to spar against one of her childhood idols! That unfamiliar hint of nervousness rose in the pit of her stomach, but she tried to suppress it. "Really? That's awesome, thank you so much!" Videl said gratefully, inwardly scolding herself for acting like such a fangirl. However, in this instance she couldn't help it.

It was at this point that Goku finally lowered his plate and patted his belly much like Goten had earlier. Despite the ridiculous amount of food he'd eaten, the man looked no different than when he had started. Videl couldn't help but wonder, _'Where does all that food go?'_

"Chi-Chi's gonna fight? Great! I haven't seen that in a while," Goku grinned. He then looked towards his eldest son and wiggled his eyes suggestively. "You know Gohan, if you do decide to get married in the next few years, you have my full support!"

"Dad!"

* * *

Videl and Chi-Chi faced each other from about five metres part, equal looks of determination adorning their faces. The two martial artists had just finished warming up following a short break after lunch, and were now ready to begin their spar. Everyone else had stood off to the side to spectate.

The younger of the two had been in countless fights in her life, but most of those were against untrained brutes who relied mainly on their bulk to battle. This opponent, however, was much different. Son Chi-Chi was a highly experienced martial artist, and despite her claims that she was rusty, Videl didn't doubt for a second that the older woman would pounce on any mistakes she spotted.

Videl's heart was beating rapidly; the teenage crime fighter finding her opponent's gaze unnerving. Chi-Chi's eyes alone projected the ferocity of a tiger; one stalking its prey in the night. The two bowed, and then Chi-Chi was gone in a flash.

It was only Videl's well trained instincts that prevented her from damn near having her head lopped off her shoulders, as Chi-Chi assaulted her with a rapid barrage of spinning back kicks. The raven-haired girl was getting pushed back with each kick, not even having time to get into a stance or raise her arms to block. Instead, she had to rely on her reflexes to lean out of range or duck underneath her opponent's blows.

Once Videl started getting used to Chi-Chi's rhythm, the older woman switched up and began bombarding her with countless knifehand strikes to the upper torso. Videl tried to dodge, but the attacks were too quick, and she felt bruises forming where her opponent's hands had struck.

Videl felt a great deal of frustration at her sheer inability to respond to Chi-Chi's vicious onslaught. This budding anger sent some much needed adrenaline shooting through her body, and eventually she started making use of her arms to try and defend against the incoming strikes. Videl's swift rising blocks now parried most of Chi-Chi's attacks, but defending was all she could do at the moment.

She quickly noticed that her opponent was leaving her lower torso and legs unguarded, so when Chi-Chi launched a double knifehand strike aimed at the sides of Videl's neck, the younger woman ducked underneath and aimed a side thrust kick with her right foot at Chi-Chi's left shin.

The older woman, however, seemed to anticipate this, as she quickly swept her left foot inwards so that it tapped against her inner thigh, then with the same leg fired back with a side thrust kick of her own aimed at Videl's stomach.

The crime fighter, due to her unbalanced stance and the sheer speed of the kick, was unable to do anything as what felt like a log impacted against her gut, and sent her flying backwards several metres. Videl crashed onto the grass with a thud, wheezing and slightly out of breath from the shock of the attack.

However, Videl would get no time to recover, immediately spotting Chi-Chi somersaulting through the air with her right leg extended and about to smash down into the younger woman's chest. With a pained grunt, Videl rolled to the side just as Chi-Chi's foot crashed into the ground with a thump, forming a small indent in the earth.

The raven-haired girl then did a kip up to get back on her feet, and rushed at her opponent, eager to actually get some hits in. The two women engaged in a stalemate of sorts; Chi-Chi attacking with quick, precise strikes aimed at the body's weak points, while Videl countered with rapid-fire jabs to the head, combined with slower, heavier blows to wherever she could hit. Neither of the pair was making any headway.

Off to the side of the small clearing in which the two females fought, Gohan observed the battle with slightly widened eyes. He knew his mother was an accomplished martial artist, but he had no idea she was this good. He glanced at his father out of the corner of the eye, and noticed the older man smiling at the sight. Did he know his wife was capable of this? Had he been training her?

Sharpner whistled from his spot beside the spiky-haired teen. "Damn, Gohan, your mum is badass."

Gohan responded with a small chuckle. "Yeah, Sharpner, I guess she is."

Back at the fight, Videl was pleased that she was no longer a mere punching bag for her more experienced opponent. The two women were now trading blows equally, with most being either parried or blocked, but with a couple of strikes getting through.

The raven-haired girl then noticed Chi-Chi's attacks slowing down just a fraction, and that gave her the perfect opportunity to counter.

Videl leaned her head and body to the right as Chi-Chi's left palm strike hit nothing but air, and as the younger woman came back up she followed through with a fierce right hook to her opponent's liver.

Chi-Chi was unable to react and bent downwards at the blow, just as Videl weaved in from the left and fired off another hook with her opposite hand, this time at the older woman's ribcage. The girl spent no time assessing the damage, and weaved in once more from the right with one final hook that smashed into Chichi's cheek.

The Son matriarch's head whipped to the side, but Videl felt something was off. While she had connected cleanly with her more experienced opponent's head, she hadn't felt a solid connection. Instead of feeling as though her fist was driving into a slab of meat, it felt as though she were slamming a punch into a sandbag. There was some initial contact, but no weight behind the attack.

Before she could ponder this further, Chi-Chi swung her head back and belted Videl in the nose with a rising hammerfist blow from her left hand, which at that point had been hanging limply at her side. This sent Videl into a daze, and she could do nothing as Chi-Chi smashed a downwards knifehand strike with her free hand into Videl's left shoulder blade.

The younger woman cried out in pain as she lost most of the feeling in her left arm, and was thusly unable to react as Chi-Chi followed through with a spinning back elbow with her opposite arm that crashed into Videl's cheek, sending the crime fighter crumpling to the ground.

"Videl!" Erasa shrieked as she dashed towards her downed friend.

The raven-haired girl rolled over onto her back, giving the blonde a small smile to let her know she was alright. It was then that Chi-Chi stepped forward and offered Videl a hand. There was nothing but warmth in the older woman's eyes. Chi-Chi didn't pity her, nor did she look like she was going to lord over her young opponent, and as such Videl didn't hesitate to accept the offer.

Once she'd gotten back to her feet, Videl noticed Chi-Chi hadn't escaped unscathed from the spar either. The Son matriarch was panting heavily as though out of breath, and there was a faint bruise forming on her left cheek. However, that didn't change the fact that Videl lost. For the second time in as many days, she had been utterly defeated in battle.

Chi-Chi seemed to notice Videl's downcast appearance, as the next thing she said was, "Don't be too hard on yourself. You nearly had me at the end there."

Videl tried her utmost best to withhold her unshed tears, and glanced up at the woman. "But you were reading my every move and were always one step ahead. You even shrugged off my hook like it was nothing. I didn't stand a chance."

Chi-Chi sighed. "Is that what you think?" At Videl's nod she continued. "While I did get off to a better start, once you started anticipating my moves the fight became a lot more even. Plus, your stamina was better than mine, and it was starting to show." She then smiled. "I'll leave you to figure out that trick with the hook, but you should be proud of your efforts. I've been at this a lot longer than you after all."

Videl returned the smile. Chi-Chi's words had a good amount of truth to them. If she were honest with herself, she might have been getting a bit complacent with her martial arts lately. Maybe an honest loss was what she needed to kick her backside into gear? _'Funny how all this starts happening after I meet Gohan…'_

"Mum, that was awesome!" little Goten cried as he latched onto his mother and hugged her tightly.

Chi-Chi laughed softly while running her hand through her youngest son's thick locks. "Why thank you, sweetie."

Goten then looked over at Videl and gave her a thumbs up. "You were awesome too, Videl. Don't feel bad about losing, my mummy's really strong!"

Videl couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips. "She sure is, Goten."

She then felt a hand on her shoulder, which led to a pair of normally sparkling blue eyes that now held nothing but concern. She smiled. "Don't worry, Erasa, I feel fine. It doesn't even hurt that much anymore."

Erasa let out a sigh of relief, before her normal visage returned. "Good. We wouldn't want you looking all banged up and bruised when we go swimming, would we?"

Videl snorted. It wouldn't really have bothered her, truth be told. Every scar and bruise she had she wore with pride. It was a testament to her journey as a martial artist, and her willingness to put her body in harm's way in order to further her goals. She wasn't some prissy princess who needed to dress up and wear makeup to feel confident – she was Videl Satan, and she was a fighter.

"Good work out there, Videl," Gohan commented with a grin as he walked up to her.

"Yeah babe, you kicked ass," Sharpner added from beside him.

Videl gently punched Sharpner in the gut, making the blond wince. Her lips then stretched out into a tiny smile. "Thanks guys."

* * *

Gohan sighed to himself as he led his three guests to the lake he had showed them earlier. Why did he let Sharpner talk him into this? Nothing good could come out of it. The demi-Saiyan had already resolved to reveal his secrets to his friends slowly, first leaving a trail of hints for them to decipher. It was why he had mentioned his little escapade with the sabretooth tiger. But this… was a bit too quick for his liking.

"Well, here we are," he said as the group finally reached the clearing.

Sharpner discarded his white singlet and sneakers, then moved to stand near the edge of the lake.

Erasa followed suit, slowly slipping off her red tube top to reveal a lime green bikini top tied back with a string that struggled to contain her ample bosom. The blonde then bent over and slid her purple shorts down her long, creamy legs, showing matching bikini bottoms that were tasteful enough, but did a good job of displaying her curvaceous posterior.

Gohan's race reddened a bit, and the sheltered boy tried his best to hold back the trickle of blood that wanted to escape his nose. Erasa was a beautiful woman, no doubt about that.

Videl was the next to disrobe. She was much quicker than Erasa – who Gohan got the feeling was trying to show off a bit – casually removing her baggy white shirt and black spats to reveal a dark blue one piece swimsuit that hugged her body like a second skin.

Gohan's blood froze. Videl was nowhere near as busty as Erasa, but her petite figure had a completely different kind of charm. The boy could tell his raven-haired friend worked hard for her body – he could spot her toned abdominal muscles and lean yet slender arms. Several tiny scars marred her porcelain skin, but Gohan thought they made Videl look all the more enchanting. He couldn't help his eyes trailing down her long, smooth legs, over the well-defined contours of her thighs and calves.

"Gohan! Stop gawking at me and take off your shirt!" Videl ordered, a tiny tint of red colouring her cheeks.

Gohan's entire face turned crimson. "Sorry Videl! I didn't mean to, I just… ahh- fine!" With that the demi-Saiyan quickly pulled off his baggy black shirt and threw it to the side.

Videl's eyes shot open. _'Well that was unexpected.'_

Gohan's body certainly wasn't what she had been expecting. Instead of him being thin yet slight pudgy due to how much he ate, like she had anticipated, Videl's eyes were treated to layer upon layer of trim, toned muscle. If there had to be a picture to go with the term 'ripped', then it would be one of Son Gohan.

She allowed her surprised yet curious eyes to scan over his torso; moving from his perfectly sculpted six pack and chiselled chest, to his broad shoulders, beefy biceps, and thick forearms.

Videl, being the daughter of Mr Satan, had seen many buff men at her father's gym, but it was most unusual to see such definition on someone – especially someone her own age. Not even Sharpner could compare. Gohan looked as though he had been carved from solid marble, with the only imperfections on his figure being several small scars littered across his body, giving him the look of someone who had been through the wars.

"Wow!" Erasa gushed, breaking Videl out of her trance. "Who knew that's what you were hiding under those baggy clothes of yours?"

The raven-haired girl glanced over at her blonde friend, and immediately noticed the bright blush across her cheeks. Sharpner stood beside her, and Videl had to stifle a laugh at his slack-jawed expression and bulging eyes.

Videl then turned back to Gohan and smirked. "Well, looks like you do have some secrets after all."

The boy was clearly uncomfortable standing there in just his black boardshorts if the ever-present blush colouring his face was any indication. Gohan's head moved from side to side as though he were trying to avoid his friends' stares, before he sprinted towards the lake and executed a perfect swan dive into the crystal clear water.

The three city dwellers cast their astonished gazes to the lake for a few seconds, after which Gohan's head popped out of the water with eyes narrowed right at them. "You know, if you wanted a reason for why I was hesitant to do that, that was it," he remarked.

Sharpner broke out into a laugh. "Aww come on Brains, if you've got them, why not show them off?"

Gohan frowned at the blond. "Because I don't want the attention."

Videl's eyes lit up as though she had just realised something. _'Well that actually makes sense.'_ With that in mind, she ran towards the lake and mimicked Gohan's swan dive with one of equal grace, coming up beside him after a few seconds.

That was the cue for the two blondes to do the same, Sharpner's dive bomb creating a tremendous splash.

Videl submerged her head beneath the lake, relishing the feeling of the crisp, cool liquid against her sore skin. It was a heavenly feeling, really, and one she hoped wouldn't go away any time soon. The crime fighter then floated up and gently rested her back against the calm, wave-free water.

She closed her eyes as the gentle forest breeze tickled her face, and allowed her thoughts to drift off to more pleasant destinations. Gone were the thoughts about Saiyaman's refusal to train her, about Gohan's secrets, and about her own insecurities. Satan City's favourite daughter simply let the water carry her away, hoping that it would wash away all her problems just as easily.

That hope was a little too much to ask for.

Videl's eyes and mouth shot open as she felt her body get dragged beneath the lake, her absolute shock causing her to swallow a large amount of lake water. The metallic, muddy flavour stinging her throat almost made her gag, but she fought off the sensation and elbowed her attacker in the ribs, making contact with soft, smooth flesh.

The attacker's stringy arms let go of Videl's waist, and the raven-haired girl shot up to the surface, spluttering, coughing, and gasping for air. Once she had sufficiently recovered, Videl shifted her narrowed eyes to the spot where whoever had assaulted her was about to surface.

Sure enough, within a few seconds, a mop of blonde hair emerged from beneath the water, revealing a wheezing Erasa. "Damn, girl, you didn't have to elbow me so hard," the bubbly girl complained.

Videl's brows furrowed as she gave her best friend her most fearsome glare. "I was having a perfect moment there, and you ruined it!" she snarled.

Erasa's mouth opened slightly, then transformed into a cheeky smirk. "What ya gonna do about it?" she asked, splashing Videl in the face.

Videl flicked the water out of her eyes and looked over to where Erasa was floating, only to find the spot empty. She then tilted her head upwards and spotted her blonde friend frantically swimming away, her wide, untrained arm strokes slapping heavily against the water.

She levelled a feral grin towards Erasa. "Don't think you can get away after what you just did!" she called out after her. "You're dead meat, Erasa!"

And so the chase began.

Meanwhile, Gohan and Sharpner floated near the edge of the lake, not really paying attention to their two female friends.

"Come on, Brains, if the weightlifting team isn't your thing, why not try out for the baseball team?"

"I already told you, Sharpner, I'm not interested!" Gohan protested, growing more and more irritated at his blond friend's attempts to recruit him.

"Then how about the boxing team?" Sharpner offered casually. "Chicks dig boxers."

Gohan's race reddened. "No!"

"The wrestling team?"

"No!"

"The swimming team? Just think about it – the girls will go crazy seeing you in speedos."

Gohan trembled from barely restrained annoyance and a slight bit of embarrassment, resisting the urge to pick Sharpner up and throw him into a mountain. "For the last time, Sharpner, I'm not interested in joining any team! I don't have the time for it!"

Sharpner pouted. "You're no fun." He then grabbed the top of Gohan's head and pushed it under the surface of the lake.

The demi-Saiyan was caught off guard by the sudden assault, but he quickly recovered and maneuvered his way behind Sharpner. _'I didn't want to have to do this, but you asked for it!'_

Gohan wrapped his arms around his blond friend's torso in a sort of awkward bear hug, then suplexed him headfirst into the water.

Sharpner spluttered as he rose to the surface, but much to Gohan's surprise, he had a grin on his face. "So you do have some fight in you after all," the blond commented. "It's on!"

And so began a mock wrestling match between the two boys, in which Sharpner never once had the upper hand.

* * *

The group of friends had stayed in the lake for several hours, engaging in all sorts of activities ranging from races, to play fights, to simply chatting with each other. The three city dwellers had found out a few more things about their new friend, the most notable of which was that his mother had home-schooled him from an early age, and crammed a college's worth of textbooks into him while they were still learning long division.

Conversely, Gohan felt the bonds of friendship slowly forming for perhaps the first time in his life. Yes, he considered himself good friends with Dende, but that friendship was born out of circumstance more than anything. That's not to say the demi-Saiyan didn't love Dende like a brother, because he did. It just wasn't the same.

And as much as he got along with Bulma and Krillin, they were more like a crazy aunt and uncle than actual friends. Besides, they were from his father's generation. Piccolo was one of the most treasured people in Gohan's life, and someone the demi-Saiyan could confide anything in, but he too was more of a mentor than a friend.

These human teenagers though… they were different. They hadn't seen the horrors he had, such as his comrades being killed off one by one by a brutish gorilla man. They hadn't witnessed atrocities such as a gender-confused alien slaughtering an entire race of beings. They were, for lack of a better word, normal. And Gohan regretted the fact that he was too cowardly to reveal to them his secrets.

He wanted to. He wanted to tell them so bad about the Saiyans, and about Namek, and about Cell… but he was too terrified of their reactions. Too terrified that they might abandon him, or throw him to the media like some sort of freak show.

Gohan wouldn't give up his powers and heritage for anything. He knew that because of him, the Earth had been saved from utter annihilation. He understood that he had a responsibility to protect the people of this planet much like his father had. And while Gohan wasn't the biggest fan of fighting, he wasn't one to shirk his responsibilities. But the boy couldn't help but wonder, what would his life have been like if he'd been born normal?

* * *

That evening saw the four friends sitting around a campfire, roasting marshmallows and telling ghost stories… or in Sharpner's case, _trying_ to tell a ghost story.

"So then, the girl ran into the basement after hearing some screams! But much to her surprise, all she saw was her friend standing in a corner! Something then hits her in the back and the footage ends!"

Gohan, Videl and Erasa stared at Sharpner with blank expressions.

It was Videl who broke the silence. "Sharpner, that was lame," she deadpanned.

"Aww, come on, that one's a classic!" he protested.

No one bothered to dignify his claim with a response.

While Sharpner sulked as he munched on his marshmallow, an idea suddenly came to Gohan. "I know a good story," he told the others. "Although it isn't really a ghost story."

"Let's hear it," Videl said glumly. "It can't be any worse than Sharpner's drivel."

Ignoring Sharpner's protest, Gohan cleared his throat. "There once was this boy who lived far from civilisation with his mother and father," he began. After seeing everyone's eyes focused on him, Gohan continued. "They lived a peaceful life away from the harshness of modern society, but one day that peace was broken.

"An alien from outer space, one who wielded great power, visited the Earth, searching for that peaceful family. Once he found them, he revealed himself to be the older brother of the boy's father, much to the family's shock. The alien then went on the say that both he and the boy's father were part of a race of space mercenaries, who were sent to far off planets as babies so that they could wipe out all life on them, making them prime selling material for an intergalactic tyrant."

Gohan paused there so he could observe his friends, and smiled inwardly at their transfixed gazes. "The older brother then gave his younger brother an ultimatum. Because he and his comrades were planning a rebellion against the tyrant, they wanted to enlist his brother's help. However, his brother had hit his head as a child, and in doing so lost all the violent habits and memories that were a staple of his race.

"The ultimatum was that he had to slay 100 humans in a single day, and pile them on top of each other as proof of the act. If he didn't, the older brother would then kidnap his younger brother's son and take him into space in his father's place. The Earth, however, would be destroyed. Just to show he was serious, the older brother kidnapped the boy anyway, and took off to his spaceship to wait.

"Naturally, the boy's father wasn't going to become a mass murderer, so he struggled to come up with a solution. However, as luck would have it, his great rival, with whom he had fought many battles when he was younger, also deemed this alien foe a threat, so the two decided to team up."

Gohan paused yet again, noticing that his friends' expressions hadn't changed.

"Well go on, what happens next?" Erasa asked, her voice full of curiosity.

Gohan chuckled. "When the boy's father and his rival-turned-ally found the alien, they engaged in a long and fierce fight against him. However, they were both greatly outmatched, and rendered helpless against his superior strength. The boy saw this and began to cry, being both angry and frustrated at seeing his father get hurt.

"However, this great pain unlocked the boy's latent potential, so he sprung out from the prison that was his uncle's spaceship, and nailed him with a debilitating blow that severely weakened him. Unfortunately, that action caused the boy to fall unconscious, and though damaged, the alien foe was still strong enough to put up a good fight.

"So in his last chance at defence, the boy's father grabbed his older brother in a bear hug, just as his great rival was charging up his most powerful technique, fully intending on sacrificing himself just to save his son, his wife, and the Earth. So once his rival had finished charging up his attack, he fired it at the two brothers, ending both their lives but saving the planet in the process.

"However…" Gohan paused, trying to build up the suspense, "the threat didn't end there. The invader's two comrades, both of whom were much more powerful than him, had witnessed the entire fight taking place via their communicators, and had decided to come to Earth seeking vengeance. Seeing no other option, the sole man standing kidnapped his rival's son so that he could train him to harness his great potential, and prepare for the upcoming alien invasion in a year's time."

With that Gohan let out a deep breath and smiled at his friends, all of whom had unsatisfied frowns on their faces. "There's more to the story, isn't there?" Videl enquired.

Gohan chuckled. "Yep."

"Then why don't you tell us the rest of it?" It was Erasa who spoke this time.

"Gohan sighed as he lay back on the soft grass. "Too tired. Tomorrow." He then smiled. "So what did you guys think?"

"I loved it!" Erasa chirped. "You're a really good storyteller, Gohan. You should consider writing a book. Or maybe drawing a manga!"

The demi-Saiyan let out a light laugh. "Maybe I should."

"The story had some kickass action in it," Sharpner commented. "I want to hear what happens next."

"It was good I suppose," Videl added. "A bit unrealistic for my liking though."

Gohan's lips stretched out into a sad smile. "Well, the next part doesn't get any tamer," he said solemnly. He didn't get a response, so he chose to simply close his eyes and just... think for a few moments.

* * *

Gohan's eyes shot open and he sprung up from his resting position, startling Sharpner and Erasa who were sitting close by. "Darn, I fell asleep!" he exclaimed.

Erasa giggled. "You sure did. And you looked so cute too. Sharpner wanted to draw on your face but I wouldn't let him."

Gohan fought back a blush and looked around, immediately noticing that the last member of their group was missing. "How long was I out for? And for that matter, why didn't you wake me? Also, where's Videl?"

Erasa giggled yet again. "You weren't out for too long, only about an hour. And we didn't want to wake you because we thought you deserved some rest." Sharpner grumbled at that. "Videl's out that way," she pointed behind her, "just chilling."

Gohan nodded his thanks and stood up. He then walked over towards where Videl was, leaving Sharpner and Erasa to their conversation.

The demi-Saiyan soon found Videl sitting at the edge of a cliff, her legs dangling casually in the air. He took a seat beside his raven-haired friend. "Hey."

"Hey yourself," she greeted back. "Looks like Sleeping Beauty finally decided to wake up."

Gohan blushed, and Videl gave an amused chuckle. "Sorry for falling asleep on you guys," he apologised. "I didn't mean to."

"It's ok," Videl reassured him. "I bet you have a lot on your mind."

Gohan chuckled. "You have no idea."

"Oh, I think I do," she replied softly.

The two friends said nothing for a while, choosing to just admire the scenery down below. The lush woodland of Mount Paozu stretched out for several miles, coming to a stop before the massive mountains that gave the area its name. If one looked close enough, they might just be able to spot the beginning of the Diablo Desert out in the distance.

"You are a strange, strange person, Gohan," Videl commented, breaking the silence.

"Oh?"

"I just don't get you sometimes," she continued. "Sometimes you can be really kind and dorky, but other times you look like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders."

Gohan gulped inwardly. _'Damn, this girl is like Sherlock Holmes!'_

"But I guess I can kinda understand it, with your father being Son Goku and all," she added.

Gohan sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. "Yeah… about that, I'm sorry I never told you guys."

Videl shook her head. "It's ok, I'm sure you had your reasons."

"It's not that I didn't want to tell you guys. I did," Gohan said as he paused. "But I didn't want you guys to look at me any differently because of it."

At that the raven-haired girl gave a humorous laugh. "You're preaching to the choir."

Gohan sighed. "I know. I'm sorry. If anyone could've understood me, it would've been you."

There was more silence, but it wasn't unpleasant. In fact, it was almost relaxing. Once again, Videl was the one to break it. "Gohan, do you train martial arts?"

The boy paused. That question was approaching risky territory, so he had to regard his next answer carefully. But… Videl deserved to know at least that much. "Yes," he stated simply.

Videl nodded. "I thought that might be the case. There's just something about you that screams 'martial artist'. You definitely look like one," she mused, causing his cheeks to redden. She paused for a few seconds. "Are you any good?"

"Well… I suppose I'm alright," he replied. "I have trained since I was a kid. But I'm not the biggest fan of fighting."

"So why train in the first place?" Videl enquired.

Gohan frowned. "I guess because it runs in the family."

The girl chuckled. "Makes sense." She then turned to him, and he found it hard to look away from her expressive cerulean eyes. "Do you think we could spar sometime?"

Gohan gulped. He knew that question was coming eventually. "Sure. I'd need to get back into shape though." Hopefully that answer would satisfy her.

Videl smiled. "Good."

A couple of pterodactyls flew by overhead, diverting the teens' attention to the sky. Gohan glanced at his raven-haired friend out of the corner of his eye. She didn't seem scared at the sight; instead she seemed… envious?

Videl's lips quirked into a cheeky grin. "I always thought you wore all those baggy shirts because your fashion sense sucked. I'm pleased to see there was an actual reason for it."

Gohan blushed, but returned her grin. "Oh? I didn't know you cared about fashion."

"I don't," Videl said casually. "But that doesn't mean I'm clueless. I can tell when something looks good and when it doesn't."

Gohan didn't reply, choosing instead to ponder her words. _'What did she mean by that?'_

He didn't get the chance to ponder long, as he felt something hard nudge his right shoulder. Turning his attention downwards, he noticed Videl had fallen asleep… and used his shoulder as a pillow. Gohan's face turned crimson. He'd never been this close to a girl before. Still, he couldn't leave her like this.

With a sigh, Gohan gently pried Videl's head off his shoulder, taking care not to accidentally send her toppling over the cliff. That would've been disastrous. Once he had stood up, he lifted Videl into his arms, gently slipping one arm underneath her knees, and another under her shoulders. Her body was extraordinarily light, but that was a given considering his strength. However, she felt warm for some reason. Shaking his head, Gohan started making his way back to Erasa and Sharpner, taking care so as to not wake the sleeping girl.

The blondes' eyes widened as their spiky-haired friend stepped into the small clearing where they'd lit a campfire. Gohan looked down at them with uncertainty in his eyes. "Should we wake her?" he whispered.

Erasa gave him a soft smile. "No, let her sleep. She was exhausted this morning, and that spar with your mother would've only tired her out even more."

Gohan frowned. "But how are we going to her to my place?"

The cheerful blonde giggled. "For such a smarty, you sure are silly sometimes." At his questioning look she giggled once more. "You're already carrying her, so you can carry her back."

Gohan stared at her with a flabbergasted expression. "Are you kidding!? If she wakes up she'll kill me!"

Erasa grinned widely at him. "You worry too much. I'm sure she won't mind. Besides, you guys are friends, aren't you?"

Gohan paused, then gave her a small smile in response. "Yeah… I guess we are."

Erasa nodded. "Good. Now, let's get you both more comfortable. Sharpner, come help me."

"Why do I have to-" the blond began, but was immediately silenced by the girl's glare. "Fine," he conceded.

Gohan's eyes widened as Sharpner and Erasa moved Videl around so that she was resting on his back, her head against his shoulder blades and her arms clasped around his neck.

"Here, lift your arms," Erasa commanded, and Gohan hesitantly did so. He felt Videl's legs brush past his hips, so he automatically latched down underneath them to stop her from falling. Erasa stepped back and admired her handiwork with a smile. "There we go. Much better. Don't you think so, Sharp?"

Sharpner mumbled something unintelligible. Gohan met his eyes, and the blond boy nodded.

The group then set off back towards the Son household, with their host in the lead. Conversation was kept to a minimum, as no one wanted to wake Videl and incur her wrath.

Gohan's thoughts were going haywire, however. He knew it was wrong to feel this way, but he couldn't help but enjoy the feeling of Videl on his back… the way her body meshed with his, the way his arms brushed against her toned quads… Gohan blushed and scolded himself once more. He knew Videl would most probably kill him if she knew he was having such thoughts about her, but he couldn't help himself.

Eventually, the Son house came into view. Erasa ran off ahead to alert Goku and Chi-Chi so that they didn't make a big deal out of Gohan carrying Videl. The demi-Saiyan mentally applauded his blonde friend. While Goku wouldn't mind, Chi-Chi would probably have a fit… either of happiness, or of anger; Gohan didn't know. Then again, he didn't really want to know.

The door opened as Gohan and Sharpner approached the house, and the demi-Saiyan stepped across the threshold. He took note of his father's smile and his mother's teary eyes, but said nothing to them as he followed Erasa up the stairs and into the guest room.

The blonde, being the considerate girl she was, had already gotten Videl's bed ready for her, so all Gohan had to do was sit on the edge, lean backwards, and gently let go. The raven-haired crime fighter plopped onto the mattress with a soft bounce.

Erasa walked over and adjusted Videl's body so that she was nestled comfortably beneath the covers, with her head resting against the pillow. The blonde then gave Gohan a bright smile. "I'm going to have a shower, then I'll hit the sack. Don't stay in here too long," she winked.

Gohan blushed as Erasa left the room, but said nothing in response. He walked over to the bed and looked down at Videl's sleeping face. Erasa had untangled her hair ties, freeing her raven locks which now splayed across her forehead. She looked so calm and peaceful… it was hard to imagine that beneath those petite features was a fierce fighter who wouldn't back down from anything – a girl with the spirit of a true warrior.

Gohan felt the sudden urge to brush Videl's bangs out of her face, just so he could chance another look at her pretty features, but he suppressed it. It wouldn't be right. Videl was his friend, and he'd violated her privacy enough just by carrying her here. "Good night, Videl," he whispered before turning around and leaving the room.

The demi-Saiyan walked over to his bedroom and buried his face into his pillow. He was asleep within seconds; the fact that he hadn't had a proper dinner not bothering him in the slightest.

Gohan's dreams that night revolved around him flying Kinto'un underneath a starry night sky. However, he wasn't alone. There was someone else on the cloud with him, but try as he might, he could never make out exactly who the person was.

* * *

 **AN: Phew, finally done. This chapter took a looooong time to write. The fact that I got writer's block midway through didn't help much either. I was honestly surprised the chapter ran this long. I had originally planned to fit the entire weekend into one chapter, but that clearly didn't happen, so I figured the best thing to do would be to divide it into two parts.**

 **That said, a lot happened in this chapter. I tried to give some development to both Gohan's and Videl's characters – both of them are equally important in this fic, and both of them are going to do a lot of growing and maturing. As always, any feedback would be much appreciated.**

 **I would especially like to know what people thought about the fight between Chi-Chi and Videl. There's going to be quite a bit of fighting in this fic, so if there is any way I can make my fight scenes better, please let me know. I do hope I did justice to both Chi-Chi and Videl in terms of their martial arts skills.**

 **I would also like to thank The Fluff Queen Lilly-sama, who came up with Goten's line about Erasa and Videl being Gohan's girlfriends. I had originally planned to have Goten ask which of the two was his girlfriend, but her version was so much better. Give her work a read if you want some good quality Gohan/Videl fics.**

 **Until next time!**


	4. Weekend at the Sons' Part 2

**Rising to the Challenge – The Legacy of Son Gohan**

 **Chapter 4 – Weekend at the Sons' Part 2**

Videl Satan groaned as her eyelids fluttered open, then grimaced slightly as she tried to adjust to the ever-growing brightness. The raven-haired girl then gave a wide yawn as she stretched out her arms, and winced at the soreness of her joints. She cracked her neck and stretched out her legs, only to feel the same amount of discomfort.

"Did I get hit by a truck or something?" Videl muttered under her breath as she rubbed her eyes, which then narrowed as a matching frown formed on her face. "No, that was just Gohan's mother."

Videl sighed as the memories of the previous day came flooding back. Her eyes then shot open, all traces of sleep disappearing instantly. _'Why am I in a bed? I don't remember coming back last night. The last thing I remember was…'_ Her jaw dropped. _'No!'_

The panicked teenager quickly scanned the room, before her gaze landed on the blonde head of hair resting beside her. Seeing only one option, Videl grabbed her pillow and started whacking it into Erasa's blissfully unaware face. "Erasa! Wake up! Just what the hell happened last night?"

The blonde yelped as she slowly came to, then shifted her forearms in front of her face in a measly attempt to defend herself against her raven-haired attacker. "Gah! Stop that, Videl! What the hell is wrong with you?" she shrieked.

Videl ignored her friend's protests and continued her assault. "Not until you tell me how I got here! The last thing I remember was sitting next to Gohan, talking, and then…" she blushed a fierce crimson, the embarrassment on her features clear as glass.

This brief distraction allowed Erasa enough time to pick up her own pillow, and whack it into Videl's own unsuspecting face. The crime fighter gasped in surprise as the impact sent her plopping backwards onto the soft mattress.

Videl was given no time to recover as Erasa pounced like a cougar and began smothering her head with a pillow. "If you wanted to have a pillow fight," she chirped as she continued applying pressure, "all you had to do was ask me when I was awake! As for what happened last night, Gohan carried you to the house."

The news brought Videl back to her senses, causing her to rip the pillow that was suffocating her out of her friend's hands, and toss it off the bed. She then gave Erasa a stern glare. "Can you repeat that?" she ground out menacingly.

The blonde giggled at the sight. "Well, after you fell asleep on Gohan's shoulder, which was adorable by the way," she gushed, making Videl's cheeks redden once more, "he brought you back to the campsite. The poor guy didn't have a clue what to do, so I told him he should carry you home."

Videl gaped at her friend, disbelieving of the fact that she would actually pull a stunt like that. She didn't know whether to feel grateful for the help, or ashamed at her display of vulnerability. "Why didn't you wake me up?" she grumbled. "I could've easily made it back to Gohan's house!"

Erasa hummed to herself as she swung her legs off the bed and started getting dressed. "Don't think I didn't notice how tired you looked yesterday," she replied casually. "You needed the extra rest. Besides, it was so cute seeing how careful Gohan was when carrying you!"

Videl sighed in resignation as a shade of red tinted her cheeks. "I suppose I'll have to thank him later." She then frowned. "But next time, don't go doing something like this without my permission. I'm not that weak. Besides, what would my dad think?"

Erasa giggled. "What Mr Satan doesn't know won't hurt him."

Since there was no further point discussing this, especially not with Erasa, Videl decided to follow her lead and get dressed. The girl then grimaced when she noticed she had slept in the same clothes she wore yesterday. _'Ugh, I must've looked like hell last night.'_

She then scooped up a fresh batch of clothes from her suitcase, which she'd decapsulised the day before, and walked towards the door. "I'm going to go have a shower. I'll see you downstairs," she told her blonde friend, who simply hummed in response.

* * *

After showering and changing into knee length spandex shorts and a long sleeved blue shirt, Videl made her way down the stairs, her nose immediately picking up an enticing aroma. The smell led her to the kitchen, where she spotted Gohan's mother standing in front of the benchtop, chopping up vegetables with practiced ease. Erasa, meanwhile, was helping carry dishes and plates to the dining table.

Chi-Chi turned around and gave Videl a bright smile. "Good morning, Videl, I hope you had a pleasant night."

The raven-haired girl returned the smile with one of her own. "Good morning, Chi-Chi. I did, thanks for asking."

Chi-Chi nodded and turned back to her work. "That's good to her. Now please take a seat, dear, breakfast is almost ready. The boys should be in any minute now."

"If you need any help setting up, I would gladly-"

"Thank you for the offer, but there's no need for that," Chi-Chi interrupted her. "I'm just about done anyway."

Videl sighed and took a seat at the table. Once Erasa had placed one more stack of plates down, she sat next to her friend.

"So where are the guys?" she asked the blonde.

"I don't know where Goku and Gohan are, but Sharpner's out catching bugs with Goten." At Videl's raised eyebrow Erasa shrugged. "Don't ask."

Before Videl could ponder that oddness any further, the front door opened and the two males walked in. Sharper looked a bit tired if the tiny beads of sweat running down his forehead were any indication, while Goten appeared to be full of energy, a large grin plastered across his innocent features.

"Mum, we almost caught this huge lizard, but it got away at the last moment!" Goten exclaimed excitedly.

"That's nice, dear," Chi-Chi remarked casually, as though this were a normal occurrence. "Now why don't you and Sharpner go wash up then take a seat at the table. If I know your father and brother, they should be right on their way."

"Oh don't worry, they are," Goten chirped before heading off to the bathroom.

Sharpner went to follow him but stopped after noticing two pairs of inquisitive eyes staring at him. He sighed and wiped the sweat off his forehead. "Goten asked me to accompany him, and I figured it'd be cool to explore the area a bit more. Wasn't expecting the kid to have so much energy though."

Videl raised an eyebrow at that once the blond had left the kitchen. Sharpner, for all his boasting and narcissism, was actually a rather skilled athlete, so for him to be looking tired from such a simple sounding activity was a bit unusual. _'Must be all the sugar in Goten's diet,'_ she mused internally. _'Yeah, that sounds about right, given how much the kid eats.'_

The front door then opened once more as two tall men stepped into the dining area. "I knew I could smell Chi-Chi's cooking!" a boisterous Goku bellowed as he hurried to take a seat at the table, only to halt in his tracks after his wife levelled a fierce glare at him. "Fine, I'll go wash up first," he grumbled.

The Son patriarch, clad in his usual orange gi, trudged off to the bathroom. His eldest son didn't follow after him straight away, choosing instead to give his high school friends a small wave. "Morning guys!" he greeted cheerfully. His onyx eyes then met with Videl's cerulean ones, and both teens blushed lightly.

"Thanks for carrying me home last night," Videl mumbled sheepishly, not used to thanking others.

"It was no problem," Gohan told her, his tone matching her own.

Videl mentally scolded herself. It wasn't like her to get so embarrassed over a guy. She forced out a smirk as she scanned over his appearance. "Anyway, what's with the getup? You trying to look like a high school gym teacher or something?" she asked, eager to change the subject.

Gohan chuckled uneasily and scratched the back of his head, then glanced down at his outfit. The spiky-haired boy was wearing a green tracksuit with a white stripe down the side, and matching green sneakers. "I felt like doing some light exercise when I woke up," he pouted. "No point in getting my nice clothes all dirty, right?"

"Fair enough," Videl shrugged. While Gohan's outfit did look a bit lame, at least it wasn't as bad as Saiyaman's. She shuddered at the thought. _'Thank Kami for that.'_

Once the males had washed their hands and taken a seat at the table, breakfast got underway. The three guests were treated to a glorious abundance of food, ranging from various kinds of eggs, to several literal stacks of bacon, hash browns and sausages. There was even some fruit and cereal for the more self-conscious eaters like Erasa. Having been exposed to Goku, Gohan and Goten's voracious appetites the previous day, the city dwellers weren't as fazed by their absurd rate of food consumption.

That didn't make it any less disgusting though.

* * *

After breakfast the four teenagers found themselves standing outside the Son household, each of them carrying a backpack and dressed in hiking gear. Sharpner wore his outfit from the previous day, camo patterned cargo pants and combat boots, with the only new addition being a thick, dark green jacket. Erasa was dressed in light blue tracksuit pants, running shoes and a long sleeved black shirt. Videl was clad in dark blue gi pants, brown boots, and a long sleeved dark blue and orange shirt with the word 'FIGHT' across the chest. Gohan wore his green tracksuit ensemble from before.

"So Gohan, why exactly are we going mountain climbing?" Videl enquired curiously.

Gohan chuckled and scratched the back of his head. "I want to show you guys something really neat that I bet you've never seen in the city. Besides, the view's pretty great from up there."

Sharpner was sold. "I'm down for that," he announced with a grin.

"Me too," Erasa beamed.

"Well I guess it doesn't sound too bad," Videl conceded with a small smile.

Gohan returned it with one of his own. "Good. Follow me guys."

The trio followed their friend into the forest, much like they had the day before. Despite being somewhat used to the sight by now, Videl still felt awed by just how much greenery was on display. However, she couldn't completely admire the scenery as her mind was plagued with thoughts about what transpired on Saturday.

Despite the fact that she had a great time exploring Mount Paozu and going swimming with her friends, that whole day was one blatant display of weakness after another. Videl was under no illusion that she was the best martial artist in the world. No, that title was held by her father. However, she still considered herself one of the best fighters on the planet. And yet, she was torn apart in her spar against Chi-Chi.

She did have her moments, of course, but her more experienced opponent was in total control the entire fight. Chi-Chi surpassed Videl in terms of strength, speed and especially technique, and yet still claimed that she was rusty. Goku was no doubt even stronger, given that he looked to be constantly training. Gohan was an unknown factor, but if his family and physique was anything to go by, then he too was surely a formidable fighter.

Videl suppressed a blush at the memory, and couldn't help but frown.

The Sons lived in the middle of nowhere and out of the public eye. Just how many other tough martial artists were in hiding out there, for whatever reason? One of Videl's dreams was to win the Tenkaichi Budokai, but the accomplishment wouldn't mean nearly as much if she didn't get to pit her skills against the world's best.

And then there was Saiyaman…

Videl had no doubt that, for all his goofiness, the caped superhero was leaps and bounds above her when it came to strength. His performance in saving both her and the mayor's family was a testament to that. The raven-haired girl didn't know the full depth of his power, or just how he managed to fly and shoot energy beams, but she did know that he could teach her a lot. She knew that Saiyaman could make her a far better fighter.

And yet, the selfish bastard had turned her down, not even being man enough to give a proper reason for denying her. Videl was grateful for his help, but furious at his cowardice. Unfortunately, it seemed that for the time being, she would have to continue playing the role of damsel in distress while the dancing dork kept raking in the praise.

The mere thought made Videl clench her teeth in anger and tighten her fist, wishing she could smack that hideous helmet right off his head.

"Well, we're here."

Videl was broken from her sullen thoughts by the sound of Gohan's voice, and turned her attention to the sight in front of her. The girl's eyes widened immediately.

Before her stood a monolithic pillar of rock that shot up into the sky, piercing the clouds like a spear. Its dark brown slope was wide and rugged, giving the natural behemoth an intimidating appearance. Videl craned her neck upwards, hoping to spot the peak of the mountain, but was instead greeted by the fierce glare of the sun's shining rays.

"Wow…" was all she could mutter.

"Told you guys it was pretty neat," Gohan grinned. "But you haven't even seen the best part yet."

"Umm, Gohan, you're not seriously expecting us to go all the way up there, are you?" Erasa questioned, a visible hint of fear in her voice.

The boy chuckled. "Of course not! What I want to show you isn't even halfway up the mountain.

Erasa breathed a sigh of relief, but Sharpner had another concern. "That's cool and all, but just how are we going to climb this thing in the first place?" he asked.

"Don't you worry about that," Gohan replied cheerfully. "There's a path that leads up the side of the mountain. If we stick to that, we should be fine."

Videl, though she wouldn't admit it, had the same reservations as her two blonde friends. However, she was comforted by Gohan's reassurances. She may have only known the guy for a week, but she trusted him, and knew he wouldn't do anything to put his friends in harm's way. Her lips quirked into a small smile. Maybe some hiking would take her mind off things.

Gohan led the others around the mountain for a bit, coming to a stop before a three metre wide path that spiralled upwards around the edge of the behemoth. The ground along the path, if one could even call it that, looked rough and uneven, but at least it seemed like it could fit all of them.

Sharper gulped audibly. "Uhh, Gohan, not that I'm doubting you or anything, man, but are you sure this is safe?"

Gohan turned to the blond and smiled warmly. "It is. Trust me Sharpner. I've gone up this path with my dad and brother countless times. You guys are my friends, and I wouldn't put you in any unnecessary danger."

Sharpner sighed in relief and gave the spiky-haired teen a small smile. "I trust you, bro."

Gohan returned the smile and turned to the girls. "Do you two have any reservations before we start climbing?"

Erasa seemed a tad hesitant at first, but then her look morphed into one of determination and she shook her head.

Videl grinned inwardly at her friend's courage. The path did look a bit dangerous, but nothing she couldn't handle. Besides, Gohan seemed pretty certain it was safe, and he knew these parts better than any of them. "Bring it on!" she declared.

Gohan laughed. "Great! I knew you guys would be up to the challenge." He then faced the path and gazed upwards. "Now, once we start climbing, it's best if we stick to single file, with me in the lead. While the path is wide enough to accommodate all of us, the safest way to climb is to stay beside the rock wall."

With that the group of four began their ascent up the mountain, the three city dwelling teens moving behind their host.

The ground was certainly harder and more rugged than the pavement back in Satan City. Videl was glad that boots were her preferred choice of footwear, as anything less would surely get torn up to some degree by the rough terrain. It also served to further highlight the vast difference between the wilderness and the urban environment.

The group didn't converse much as they continued climbing at a steady pace, each person choosing instead to focus on their own thoughts.

Once they were quite a ways up, Videl craned her neck over to the side, and her eyes shot wide open. They had reached a point where they were now high above the trees of the forest down below. The raven-haired girl was able to make out trees of different shapes and sizes, their leaves swaying lightly in the gentle mountain breeze.

Videl's heart began pounding faintly as she observed the birds soaring above them, and not for the first time she found herself envious of their freedom. How different would it be flying using nothing but your own power as opposed to using a jetcopter? How would it feel to have the wind brushing against your face as you glided through the air?

As if sensing her ponderings, Gohan came to a halt and scanned over the group with a smile.

"Is this what you wanted to show us, Gohan?" Erasa asked through light pants.

"No, the place I want to show you is a bit further up, but I figured this would be a good place to stop and catch our breath," he replied cheerfully. "It also gives us a pretty nice view of the forest."

Videl paused in her musings. Come to think of it, she was definitely breathing heavier than normal. She wasn't winded or anything, but inhaling and exhaling certainly took a lot more effort than she was used to. _'Must be because of the high altitude,_ ' she mused, inwardly cursing the fact that she was exhibiting yet another sign of weakness.

"Damn, dude, you were right to stop," Sharpner wheezed, having just taken a drink from his water bottle. "The air up here is really thin. Must be a great place for training."

Gohan chuckled and scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

Videl quirked a brow. That would explain a couple of things. If the Sons trained up here, they'd develop stamina much quicker than normal, giving them a big advantage over martial artists who only train in gyms. _'I wonder if dad's ever trained in the mountains?'_ she pondered.

"Are you guys ok to continue on?" Gohan asked the group.

"That's cool with me," Videl answered, a small part of her now eager to get some high altitude exercise in.

"Me too," Sharpner agreed.

"Just give me a couple of seconds," Erasa panted, bending over slightly and taking some deep breaths. She then straightened up and flashed the others a smile. "I'm good to go now."

Gohan returned her smile. "Awesome. Follow me. It's not that much further up."

With that the group continued their climb up the mountain. Videl felt a tiny bit giddy at how this all reminded her of an adventure movie. Despite her privileged upbringing, she hadn't really experienced this kind of world before, and was a bit surprised at how much she was enjoying such a relatively simple activity.

* * *

About 20 minutes later, Gohan came to a halt, causing the others to follow suit. "Alright, we're here!" he exclaimed cheerfully.

Videl observed her surroundings and saw that they were standing just outside a cave that led inside the mountain. The entrance was quite large, and from where she stood the raven-haired girl couldn't make out anything inside due to the darkness. She was about to speak up when a loud squawking from within the opening stopped her.

"Uhh, Gohan, what exactly was that?" Erasa enquired worriedly, unknowingly voicing Videl's thoughts.

The spiky-haired boy turned to his three friends and gave them a reassuring smile. "Don't be frightened, it's just a friend of mine who I wanted to introduce you guys to."

His smile put Videl mostly at ease, but she still felt a hint of worry course through her body. Gohan was an oddity, but in an amusing yet pleasant way. Who knew how odd one of his friends would be. _'Come to think of it, that noise didn't sound human…'_

The trio of city dwellers hesitantly followed their host into the cave. As soon as Videl stepped into the cavernous interior, she immediately noticed how low her visibility was. It was by no means pitch black inside the cave, and she could still make out her immediate surroundings, but it was a highly unusual situation for her.

From the time she started training martial arts, Videl had always been taught to be well aware of her surroundings at all times, because an attack could come from anywhere. This well-trained sense of awareness proved to be especially helpful when fighting crime, and had saved Videl's life multiple times. So with her enhanced senses being thrown out of whack, the raven-haired girl couldn't help but feel the unfamiliar sensation of vulnerability that she had encountered several times since arriving at the Sons'.

Videl felt something brush against her hand, and would've jumped in shock had object not felt so warm and comforting. Once it started moving she immediately realised it was a hand – a rough, calloused, yet startlingly warm and gentle hand.

"Don't worry," the familiar voice of Son Gohan whispered as his hand wrapped itself around her own. "You have nothing to fear while you're with me."

Videl felt her heartbeat quicken and hoped the boy wouldn't see her reddening face in the darkness. She was genuinely touched by his concern, but she couldn't let him know that. She'd been embarrassed enough times in front of him to last an eternity. With a surprising amount of mental difficulty, she slipped her hand out of Gohan's. "D-don't be ridiculous. I'm not scared. I'm a Satan," she huffed defiantly.

Gohan chuckled lightly. "I know you are."

Videl glanced over towards Sharpner and Erasa, hoping the two blondes hadn't seen what had just transpired. To her relief, they both looked completely oblivious to her situation. Erasa was clearly twitchy given how her eyes were darting from side to side, while Sharpner seemed to feel the same, only he was putting on a brave front. They needn't have been worried though. She wasn't. Not anymore.

They weren't walking very long, but Videl immediately noticed that the further into the cave they went, the brighter it became. She didn't have long to ponder this anomaly as her keen eyes were able to make out two enormous figures in this distance.

The raven-haired girl halted in her tracks, her eyes and mouth shooting wide open. "W-w-what the hell are those?" she gasped.

The two blondes mimicked their friend's gasp, with Erasa's sounding more like a shriek. "Gohan! You said you were going to introduce us to a friend of yours, not a pair of monsters!" she screeched. "I'm too young and pretty to die!"

In response to Erasa's hysterics, one of the gigantic figures screeched right back at her, making the terrified blonde cower in fear. Videl reflexively entered a fighting stance, while Sharpner raised his trembling arms up into an orthodox boxing stance.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, easy there!" Gohan interjected, standing in between the two parties as though he were a barrier. He scratched the back of his head and gave a weak laugh. "I forgot you guys aren't used to this kind of stuff. I should've warned you earlier. Please don't be frightened. Those creatures are my friends. They won't hurt you."

Videl's rapid heartbeat calmed down a bit, and Erasa took a few deep breaths in an attempt to compose herself. She then stared at Gohan with pleading eyes. "Promise?"

He flashed her his trademark smile. "Promise."

Erasa's features softened noticeably after that and her lips slowly quirked into a tiny smile. Sharpner lowered his arms and Videl dropped her stance. She was certainly taken by surprise, but Gohan's words put her at ease. _'I guess I should get used to being surprised when I'm around him,'_ she figured.

"Tell me, Brains, how exactly did you become friends with pterodactyls?" Sharpner asked, the disbelief on his face still palpable.

Gohan chuckled nervously. "When you've been living around these parts since you were born, you get used to the wildlife. At the same time, so long as you don't try to disrupt their way of living, they'll leave you alone. Eventually, they become used to your presence," he recalled fondly. His face then broke out into a warm smile. "My parents have always been pretty adventurous; especially my dad. I guess Goten and I just picked it up from them. When I was younger, Dad would show me around the forest and we'd run into all kinds of animals. I didn't have any friends my own age, so I would often play with the animals."

"That's so adorable!" Erasa cooed. "But wasn't that dangerous? Especially for a kid?"

Videl inwardly agreed with her blonde friend's assessment… not that that she would say so out loud. That aside, Erasa did raise a good point. What parent in their right mind would leave a child alone to play with wild animals?

Gohan sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "I guess you have a point. But my dad was always around in case things ever got out of hand," he mumbled. "Not that they ever did though."

Videl's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Something about Gohan's explanation didn't quite seem right. But she could ponder it later.

"Anyway," the spiky-haired boy said out loud, "let's go introduce you to these guys. They rarely get any visitors, so they'll be pleased to make some new friends."

The three city kids followed Gohan to where the pterodactyls were. Once they got closer, Videl was able to see the creatures in their entirety. Both pterodactyls were big and round, and one was blue while the other was pink. They sat inside a large nest of twigs and branches, and in between them was a tiny green pterodactyl that was as tall as Videl's knee. There was a large rectangular opening in the cave wall behind them that allowed sunlight to filter through and illuminate the area.

"This is Toto," Gohan said, pointing to the large, blue pterodactyl. "And that beside him is his mate," he added, motioning to the pink bird. "And this little guy here," he remarked kindly, gently stroking the baby Saurian's ridged head, "is Chibi, the newest addition to their family."

The tiny pterodactyl squealed in delight at Gohan's touch. Videl smiled fondly at the sight, feeling a slight tingling in her chest. She couldn't help but find the whole spectacle cute. She then shuddered slightly. When did she start finding things cute?

"Oh my Kami, he's soooo adorable," Erasa beamed, rushing over to Gohan. "Can I pet him too?"

Gohan chuckled and turned to face the two larger pterodactyls. "These people are my friends. Is it ok if they play with Chibi too?" he asked them. "They won't hurt him."

The two birds looked at each other and Toto squawked at his mate, who hesitated for a second before nodding. The blue Saurian then turned to Gohan and gently nuzzled him with his beak, causing the boy to laugh. "They said it's ok," he told his friends.

Erasa squealed and rushed over to Chibi, then began gently petting his reptilian skin. The baby pterodactyl chirped joyously once the blonde started rubbing his chin, no doubt pleased with the affection he was receiving. Videl grinned, and even Sharpner had a wide smile on his face. Who knew the big lug had a gentle side underneath all that muscle?

Videl walked over to stand next to Gohan, who had left Erasa to play with Chibi. "I must say, this turned out to be a pleasant surprise," she remarked. "When I woke up this morning, I never thought I'd be meeting and befriending a family of pterodactyls."

Gohan chuckled at her comment. "Nature is a wonderful thing. It saddens me that people who spend their whole lives in big cities might never get a chance to experience it. Maybe if they did, there wouldn't be so much negativity in the world."

"You raise a fair point," Videl said solemnly, instantly being reminded of all the crime she had to fight on a daily basis. One would think that after the whole Cell fiasco people would want to cherish the peace, not continuously disrupt it. The thought made her frown.

"Ahh, sorry, I didn't mean to dampen the mood," Gohan apologised, scratching the back of his head.

Videl shook her head. "Don't worry about it. It's nice to know someone cares about this stuff as much as I do." She then flashed him a smile. "Thank you for showing this to me."

"No problem!" Gohan grinned. "Feel free to come over again sometime. I'll show you the mountain and the wood anytime you want!"

The spiky-haired boy then paused, as though finally registering what he'd just said, and blushed a bright scarlet. Videl's crimson cheeks mimicked his own, and the two teens sheepishly looked away from each other.

Erasa was still playing with Chibi, only now she was making faces at him, the baby bird gurgling happily at her. Sharpner had walked over and was awkwardly petting the pterodactyl on the back. Videl had to stifle a chuckle at the sight, knowing how out of character such an act was for the boxer.

"So, uhh, want to go over to Chibi?" Gohan asked nervously. "You haven't had a chance to see him up close yet."

"Sounds good," Videl replied with a small smile. Her spiky-haired friend clearly wanted to forget about that awkward moment from just moments ago, as did she.

Videl made her way towards the pterodactyls, with Sharpner and Erasa stepping back once they saw her approach. Chibi started whining in displeasure at the loss of attention but perked up once he saw Videl. She reached the tiny Saurian and began gently stroking his head, much like Gohan had before. "Hey there little guy," she said softly. "You must be pretty happy to have so many people coming to play with you?"

The little dinosaur squawked gleefully in response. Videl chuckled and started tracing her fingers along Chibi's rough, leathery skin. She glanced up at his parents and marvelled at their large and powerful frames, no doubt bearing immense natural strength. Someday Chibi would grow up to look just like that. Hopefully he would still keep some of his childlike innocence though.

Videl stepped back from the birds and Chibi started whining again, but thankfully Erasa took her place. The raven-haired crime fighter stood beside Gohan and Sharpner and crossed her arms contentedly. "I always figured pterodactyls would be vicious predators capable of tearing humans apart limb from limb, not docile creatures like these guys," she commented.

"Oh they can be, no doubt about that," Gohan warned. "But that's mainly if they're looking for food or trying to protect their young. They value family just as much as humans do. It's the same with most animals actually." He then smiled. "Like I said before, as long as you leave them to their business, chances are they won't harm you."

Sharpner glanced at Gohan out of the corner of his eye. "These pterodactyls seem pretty strong. Do you reckon your dad could beat one of them up?" the blond asked.

Videl quirked an eyebrow. That was an odd question. Not that the answer didn't interest her though. She turned her head and looked up at Gohan, curious as to what he'd say.

The spiky-haired boy gave a nervous laugh and scratched the back of his head. "Well, I've never actually seen him fight one, but I guess he could pull it off. There's no limit to how strong you can become as a martial artist so long as you stay dedicated to your training."

Videl pondered his answer for a moment. She supposed it made sense. She didn't know how strong Son Goku was, but if he was anywhere close to her father's level, a pterodactyl shouldn't be that much of a challenge. After all, there was no way any animal could match up to Cell.

At that moment a thunderous roar reverberated around the cave. Videl's instincts first told her that some wild animal had come to attack their group, but then she traced the roar's source and saw that it led to a blushing Gohan, who was gingerly rubbing his belly. She resisted the urge to facepalm.

"Sorry guys, I guess my stomach couldn't hold out much longer," he mumbled apologetically.

Sharpner chuckled. "Seriously bro, your stomach might just be the scariest thing on this mountain."

Gohan's blush deepened even further. Erasa giggled as she came to stand beside them. "Don't be so embarrassed. I'm starting to get hungry too."

"I concur," Videl added. "Should we start heading back?"

"I think that would be best," Gohan said. "If we leave now we should make it back in time for lunch."

Sharpner grinned. "Kickass!"

Gohan stepped towards the pterodactyls and bowed slightly. "Thank you for letting us play with Chibi," he told Toto and his mate. "But we need to be heading back now."

The two large birds nodded their heads at him. Chibi seemed to realise what was happened and started wailing mournfully, large tears dripping from his expressive and innocent eyes. Gohan walked over to the baby Saurian, picked him up, and gave him a hug. "Don't worry, Chibi, we'll be back another time," he reassured the dinosaur, gently patting him on the back. He then set the pterodactyl back down and turned to his friends. "Won't we, guys?"

"Of course!" Erasa chirped. Sharpner gave a thumbs up, and Videl nodded her agreement. Chibi perked up at this and his crying stopped, but he still looked a bit sad.

Videl felt the odd tingling sensation in her chest from before return when Gohan was hugging the dinosaur. She shook her head in an attempt to clear it and imagined letting loose on a punching bag. These feelings were making her slightly uncomfortable and she didn't exactly know how to deal with them.

The group of teenagers left the pterodactyls, waving to them as they did so, and made their way back to the cave entrance.

"Thanks for showing me that, Gohan," Erasa said giddily. "Chibi was just too adorable for words!"

"Yeah, that was more fun than I thought it'd be," Sharpner added with a smile.

"Don't mention it, guys," Gohan said happily. "I'm glad you had fun."

This kind of light conversation continued until they had reached the cave entrance. Gohan was about to proceed down the path until Erasa grabbed his arm. "Wait, don't go just yet," she told him. "We need to take a group photo."

Gohan blinked. "Why?"

The blonde giggled. "To commemorate the occasion, silly. Gosh, you're such a country bumpkin."

Gohan chuckled nervously. "Oh. I see. Ok then."

Videl smiled inwardly. Normally she despised getting photos taken, but she didn't mind too much in this instance.

Erasa took out her phone and beckoned for everyone to stand beside her. After a few seconds of shuffling people around like a pro, the blonde deemed everyone's pose passable. "Ok everyone, big smiles!" Erasa grinned. She then took the photo.

Once she was done, the other three huddled around to get a good at the picture.

A beaming Erasa stood on one side, her left hand holding the phone out in front of her, while her right arm rested around Videl's shoulders. Videl, who stood beside the blonde, had her arms crossed while a teasing smirk was plastered on her face. Gohan stood next to her, his left hand resting on her shoulder while his right hand flashed the camera a victory sign. There was a light blush across his cheeks, and his smile showed a hint of nervousness. To his right was Sharpner. The muscled blond had his left arm around Gohan's shoulders, while his right was tensed like a bodybuilder posing on stage. He too bore a smirk like Videl's, only his was a fair bit cockier.

Erasa laughed. "It turned out great! I'm going to print this out and frame it up. I can give you guys a copy if you want?"

"Thanks Erasa, I'd like that," Gohan said softly.

After looking at the photo, the demi-Saiyan felt a warm stirring in his chest. He'd felt something similar when he was hanging out with Piccolo and Dende, but this time it was different. He could relate to the two Namekians because they had extraordinary powers like he did, and they understood and accepted him for who he was. And he cherished his friendship with them dearly. But they weren't like him. None of the Z Warriors were. Gohan knew Videl, Sharpner and Erasa were different from him as well, but he couldn't help the way he was feeling right now. He felt almost… normal.

* * *

As the Son household came into view, the four high schoolers spotted Goku dragging a ridiculously large fish towards the building. Videl would've ordinarily gaped at such a sight, but she'd gotten used to seeing weird stuff at the Sons' by now.

"Hey guys!" Goku greeted with a wave. "Chi-Chi's busy making lunch, so I figured I'd catch us some fish to help out." He then stroked his chin contemplatively. "Oh yeah! Gohan, would you mind telling Goten to come down? He said he wanted to help me debone the fish. Last I checked he was in your room."

"No problem, Dad," Gohan said. He then turned to his friends. "You guys can rest out here if you want. I'll be back right away."

Erasa plopped down onto the grass and sprawled her arms out as though she were making a snow angel. "That sounds like a great idea. I'm buggered after that hike."

Sharpner sat down next to her. "No kidding. I thought I had more stamina than this," he chuckled.

Videl bit her lip and turned to Gohan. "Is it ok if I come with you?" she asked in a low and uncharacteristically shy voice. "I'm not that tired. Besides, I need to go wash my hands."

"I'm ok with that," Gohan replied, his cheeks becoming a shade redder.

Videl inwardly fist pumped. She had wanted to get another look at Gohan's room. Not for a creepy reason or anything, but mainly because she was curious. She'd never been in a boy's room before this weekend. _'Heh, I bet dad would freak if he found out,'_ she mused.

With that amusing thought in mind, Videl followed her friend up the stairs to his and Goten's shared room. Gohan opened the door and stepped inside. "Hey Goten, Dad said to come down and-" He paused mid-sentence, his face turning an ashen white and his mouth dropping open in horror.

"Gohan, what's wrong?" Videl asked worriedly as she stepped through the door. "Did something hap-" This time it was her turn to pause. Her expression mimicked Gohan's, but her face turned crimson instead of ashen.

In the middle of Gohan's room was the Great Saiyaman himself, mid-pose. Well, a miniature version of him at least, with an outfit that was far too large for his small frame. She recognised the orange and black helmet and visor, designed to hide the masked man's identity. Her eyes trailed to the black spandex bodysuit and baggy green tunic that looked so out of place on such a small body. The white gloves and boots were barely staying on, and the trademark red cape that once blew triumphantly in the wind now draped lazily across the floor.

There was only one explanation for this, and Videl's heart shattered as she came to the only logical conclusion. She ignored the stinging ache in her chest and turned her gaze onto the boy she had recently started to consider one of her best friends. A tear slipped down her cheek.

"Videl, I can explain."

But she was having none of it. "I trusted you." And then she pulled back her right hand and let loose a tremendous slap on Gohan's left cheek. Pain shot up Videl's hand and down her wrist as she made contact with what felt like a slab of metal. She gripped her now red and swollen hand and bit her tongue to stop from crying out, not sure whether the pain was worse in her hand or in her heart.

More tears formed.

Then she sprinted out of the room and down the stairs. She passed Chi-Chi in the kitchen, who put down her pot the moment she saw the raven-haired girl's state. "Videl, dear, what's wrong?" she asked, concern visible in her eyes.

Videl rubbed away her tears and willed herself to stop crying. She bowed her head to the Son matriarch. "I'm sorry, Chi-Chi, but I really have to leave. Thank you for your hospitality. Tell Goku I'm sorry I couldn't stay for lunch."

Without waiting to hear Chi-Chi's reply, she dashed out of the house. "Sharpner, Erasa," she barked out. "Is your luggage packed?" The two blondes nodded and showed her their capsules. "Good. We're leaving."

"Videl, what the hell happened?" Erasa asked, her expression mirroring Chi-Chi's.

Videl threw down her jetcopter capsule and the vehicle materialised in a puff of smoke. "No time to explain. Just get in."

"But Videl-" Sharpner protested before he was cut off.

"Now!" the crime fighter demanded, speaking in the same tone of voice she used to interrogate crooks. It was all she could do to mask how devastated she felt. "Please don't argue. Just do it."

The two blondes knew better than to say anything, so they simply did as she asked. Within seconds, the jetcopter was in the air and flying back to Satan City.

Back up in his room, Gohan had sunken to his knees and buried his head in his hands. "I'm such an idiot."

Goten threw off the Saiyaman helmet and dashed towards his big brother, the little tyke's face red and puffy from newly formed tears. He threw his small arms around Gohan's broad shoulders and wept into his collarbone. "I'm so sorry, big brother!" cried his muffled voice. "I didn't know you came back! I'm so sorry!"

Gohan sighed and returned his brother's hug, gently running his hand through Goten's spiky locks. "I know, little bro. It's not your fault. I'm the one who messed up. I messed up big time."

Goten wept even harder.

* * *

Deep in the vastness of space, hundreds of light years away from the planet known as Earth, a large, domed spaceship hurtled through the cosmos at tremendous speed.

Inside the circular spacecraft, a lean yet well-muscled figure sat upon a spherical white throne, scrolling through the universal archives provided to him by his employer. After a few moments he paused, then brought up a rotating holographic image of a vibrant blue and green planet.

"So this is Earth," the figure spoke in a cold yet collected tone that betrayed no emotion. "Doesn't look like much. Nevertheless, orders are orders."

The figure then deactivated the hologram and gazed out through his throne room's window, briefly scanning over the billions of stars his ship rocketed past. He took a sip of wine from his glass and narrowed his eyes ever so slightly at his reflection, being able to faintly make out the curved shape of the figure 'M' carved into his forehead.

* * *

 **AN: Hi all. I would like to offer my humblest apologies for the extremely long wait for this chapter. The past three months have been pretty rough for me, and it seemed that everything that could go wrong did. On top of that, I had to battle the mother of all writer's blocks. Thankfully, things seem to be looking up again, so here's hoping I can start updating at a relatively reasonable rate.**

 **This chapter was a massive pain in the ass to write. The beginning wasn't too bad, and the ending was pretty easy to get down, but the entire middle section was a chore to get through. The content wasn't particularly enjoyable to write, which further hampered my progress and motivation, but it needed to be done. Luckily I managed to persevere and get the chapter finished, and now I can focus on the chapters I've been really looking forward to writing.**

 **In regards to the very end of the chapter, I'm not going to say who that was, but I do invite people to try and guess. All I'm going to say on the matter is that up until now, this fic has followed the manga timeline of events… aside from that whole thing about Goku surviving the Cell Games.**

 **Lastly, rest assured that I will never abandon this fic. I have already planned out all the major plot points, so it's simply a matter of filling in all the blanks… which is easier said than done. Nevertheless, I plan on updating my profile from time to time in order to note down my progress on upcoming chapters for those that are curious.**

 **In the meantime, any feedback would be very much appreciated, and a big thanks to those of you who have left reviews. Until next time!**


	5. Making Amends

**Rising to the Challenge – The Legacy of Son Gohan**

 **Chapter 5 – Making Amends**

A groggy Gohan groaned as his eyelids fluttered open, the shrill ringing of his alarm clock assaulting his ears. That was the last thing he wanted to hear this morning. With another groan, he lifted his right arm and slammed his palm down onto the alarm clock in an attempt to shut it up.

Unfortunately for the demi-Saiyan, his hand smashed through the brittle plastic and glass material like a hammer, shattering the annoying device into tiny pieces. He sighed. At least the ringing stopped.

Gohan slowly sat up and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. That was an unusual occurrence. Usually Goten would be the one waking him up in the morning, by means of using his big brother's stomach as a trampoline. Last night, though, the little tyke had opted to sleep with his parents, and Gohan couldn't blame him. Last night was something both of them wanted to forget.

With a yawn, Gohan slid off his bed and made his way to the bathroom. Once inside, he observed his reflection in the mirror and frowned. _'Kami, I look like crap.'_ There were bags under his eyes, and his already unruly hair jutted out in all directions like a porcupine. _'I can't go to school looking like this.'_

The thought of school made Gohan's frown deepen. Chances were he'd see Videl at school, and he honestly didn't have a clue what to say to her. For that matter, what would she say to him? After she got over the shock of finding out he was Saiyaman, what would she do? Would she alert the press? Would she spread the news around school? Gohan shook those thoughts from his head. Despite how angry she was, Videl wouldn't do anything rash like that… would she?

He couldn't sense any reporters camped outside his house, so that was a good sign at least. There weren't any government officials knocking on his door either. But that still didn't prove anything.

The demi-Saiyan sighed. There was no use thinking about it now. All he could do at this stage was man up and face the music. A brief thought flashed through his mind about using the Dragon Balls to get out of this mess, but he quickly shot it down. That would a cowardly misuse of the mystical orbs, and he would never sink so low. Plus, Piccolo would kill him if he even considered it.

After showering and getting dressed for school, as well as fixing up his appearance a bit, Gohan made his way down to the dining room, and was greeted with a sombre atmosphere that was most uncommon in the Son household. His family was seated around a dining table stacked with food, but unlike in previous instances, there was no cheerful chatter about Goku's training, or about Goten's latest escapade with Trunks. Even Chi-Chi was silent.

"Good morning, sweetie, did you sleep well?" the Son matriarch enquired with a small smile.

Gohan sighed. "Morning, Mum. I wish I could say I did, but I didn't."

And it was true. Gohan had only gotten a few hours of sleep at best. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake the memories of the previous evening from his head. How his secret was found out. How he'd betrayed Videl's trust. How visibly hurt she'd been afterwards…

After Videl had stormed out of the house and took off with Sharpner and Erasa in tow, Gohan had tried his best to cheer up Goten and assure his little brother that he wasn't at fault for what happened. If anyone was at fault, it was Gohan himself for being so secretive and not having enough faith in his friends. He was naïve in thinking that he could reveal his secrets on his own terms, without anything unexpected happening. Heck, his entire life should've been evidence enough that complications could arise at any moment, leaving well thought out plans buried in the dirt.

Chi-Chi and Goku, after hearing what had transpired, had tried to console their eldest son, even though the situation was alien to them as well. Chi-Chi had given Gohan a hug, and told him that Videl was a nice, reasonable girl who would forgive him in time. Goku, being the optimistic guy he was, had told his son to have more faith in his friends, and that everything would turn out alright in the end. Gohan truly was thankful for his parents' support, but doubts still plagued his mind. What little sleep he got that night did nothing to assuage his worries.

Shaking the previous night's memories from his head, Gohan took a seat at the dining table and glanced over at his uncharacteristically quiet sibling, who was picking at his food with a disheartened expression on his face. He smiled. "Hey there, Squirt, got anything fun planned for today?"

Goten looked up from his plate and frowned. "Me and Trunks were gonna have a contest to see who could catch the most fish. The loser would have to buy the winner whatever toy they wanted. But I don't feel like doing it anymore."

Gohan suppressed a sigh. It seemed his brother was still upset. He reached over and gently patted the child's arm. "Goten, I told you to stop worrying about what happened last night," he said softly. "Trust me when I say it wasn't your fault. But if you're still feeling down about it, the best solution is the do something fun to take your mind off what happened."

"He's right, son," Goku chimed in, having just constructed a tower of bacon on his plate. "And once you're done playing with Trunks, I'll help you train your ki manipulation. How does that sound?"

A tiny smile formed on the young demi-Saiyan's face. "That sounds awesome! Thanks Dad." He then turned to face Gohan. "Thank you too, big brother. I promise I won't put on your Saiyaman costume anymore."

Gohan chuckled. "Don't worry about it, Goten. The cat's out of the bag anyway." An idea then came to him. "Ah, I know! I can talk to Bulma and get her to make you your own Saiyaman suit."

Goten's eyes widened, all trace of sadness evaporating. "Really? That would be so totally wicked!" he exclaimed joyously. "I can be the Great Saiyaboy!"

Gohan couldn't help but chuckle once more at the sight. Despite everything that happened, he was glad to see Goten back to his usual self. It made him feel a bit better about the whole thing.

As the elder demi-Saiyan piled food onto his plate, he noticed the grateful smile his mother was giving him, which he returned with one of his own.

After breakfast, Gohan stood outside his house and called down Kinto'un. As the fluffy yellow cloud zoomed down from the sky and came to a halt before him, he attempted to climb on… only to hesitate mid-step. Doubts started flooding his mind, which conjured up images of the worst possible scenarios.

A comforting hand on his shoulder brought Gohan back to his senses. The demi-Saiyan turned his head to the side and was greeted by the smiling face of his father. "Everything ok, son?" Goku asked warmly.

Gohan sighed. "I'm worried, Dad. I'm worried about what to tell my friends. I'm worried they won't accept me anymore. I know Videl's angry at me, and I'm not sure whether she told anyone else. I don't know how I'd deal with that."

Goku gazed up at the bright morning sky as though deep in thought. "Do you trust your friends, Gohan?"

"Of course I do," the teenager replied without hesitation. "But… I've never been in a situation before where I've had to hide stuff about myself. I've never needed to keep secrets before, you know? The Z Warriors… they all know who I am. It's different with these humans."

Goku's lips pursed into an uncharacteristic frown. "You're saying that like you're not a human yourself."

"But I'm not, Dad," Gohan protested. "I'm different. I have all these powers I need to keep hidden. If my classmates knew I can transform into a Super Saiyan, or that I can shoot ki blasts and fly, they'd freak out. This kind of stuff isn't normal to them. It's why I have to hide my identity when I fight crime."

The elder Son sighed. "Gohan, that doesn't make you any less of a human. Just look at Krillin and Tenshinhan. They're human, but they have powers like us… aside from the whole Super Saiyan thing. All these powers do is make you more special than most people."

Gohan pondered his father's words. They made sense, but they did little to ease his doubts. "You have a point, but you also said it yourself. I'm different than most people."

Goku paused briefly, before his eyes turned towards Gohan and softened. "Do you regret having these powers?" he asked.

"Not at all," Gohan answered swiftly, meeting his father's eyes as his gut churned at the mere suggestion. "If I didn't have these powers, I wouldn't be able to protect anyone. I wouldn't have been able to stop Cell, or save people as Saiyaman." He then looked away again. "I just wish I didn't have to hide who I really am."

Goku let out a deep breath and gazed at the sky again. "I'm not going to lie and say that I know what you're going through, because I don't. It was different when I was growing up. I was always around people who could do the same stuff I did." A tiny smile then graced his lips, as though he were fondly remembering his childhood. "The world was also much more accepting of martial artists like us back then. Our powers were admired and celebrated. Things are different these days, and unfortunately there's nothing we can do about it. I know it sucks, and I know it's unfair, but we just have to live with it."

Gohan frowned. If his father was trying to make him feel better, he was doing a pretty poor job of it. However, Goku wasn't done yet. "But that doesn't mean you need to keep everything a secret" the elder Saiyan exclaimed. "You just need a few close friends who you really trust to confide in. Keeping things bottled up inside is just gonna drive you insane."

That got Gohan thinking. As much as it pained him to admit it, he wasn't very trusting with Videl, Sharpner and Erasa. He kept encouraging them to trust him, yet he didn't offer them the same courtesy in return. That was a bit hypocritical of him. The demi-Saiyan sighed. Could he trust his school friends with his secrets?

His thoughts trailed back to the weekend. Videl had gotten on really well with his mother, and actually seemed keen to learn from her. Erasa, despite being generally bubbly and cheerful, was clearly very protective of Videl, yet she trusted Gohan to carry the crime fighter home after she fell asleep in the forest. Sharpner, for all his bravado, made an effort to genuinely connect with Gohan, and even gave him advice on how to fit in at school.

The more Gohan thought about it, the more his father's words made sense, and the more he realised just how comfortable he felt with Videl, Sharpner and Erasa knowing his secrets. For the first time in a while, a genuine smile stretched across his lips. "Thanks Dad," he said gratefully, turning to face his father.

Goku merely chuckled and clapped Gohan on the back. "Don't worry about it, son. I'm glad I was able to be of help." He then scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Chi-Chi always tells me I should talk more to you and Goten about this kinda stuff, but I don't know if I'd be any good at it."

Gohan let out a laugh. That sounded like his mother, alright. However, he soon sobered up as a troubling thought crossed his mind. "Hey, Dad…"

Goku could tell something was off and turned towards his son. "What's wrong?" he enquired worriedly.

"I know you said I should be honest to my friends, and that's what I was planning on doing, but…" He paused, unsure of how to word the rest of his sentence. The demi-Saiyan swallowed thickly. "But what if my secrets don't just affect myself."

Goku stared at his son curiously for a few moments, before his eyes lit up in realisation. "Oh. The Cell Games."

Gohan nodded. "Videl has lived her entire life thinking her father is some big hero who saved the world from Cell. If I tell her about me being a Super Saiyan, she'd eventually bring up the Cell Games. She's a smart girl; she'd quickly connect the Super Saiyans to the Golden Warriors who fought Cell. Then I'd have to explain that whole debacle to her, as well as the truth about Mr Satan."

"It's not fair to Videl to keep her out of the loop forever," Goku stated with a frown.

The younger Saiyan sighed. "I know. But telling her the truth might destroy her. She'll find out she's been living a lie for the past seven years."

He felt an arm reach around his shoulders and squeeze gently. It comforted him slightly. "If you really care for Videl, you'll need to tell her eventually," Goku said.

"I know," Gohan admitted glumly. "I just don't know when."

At that Goku smiled. "I trust you'll tell her when the time is right. You're a smart guy, son. I trust you to know when to do the right thing."

Gohan, however, didn't share his father's smile. ' _I wish I could trust myself…'_

* * *

Gohan stepped through the door to his classroom and looked around, immediately noting that he was one of the first people there. After his chat with Goku that morning, he feared that he'd be late to school, so he told Kinto'un to double time it. Unfortunately, it seemed like he miscalculated.

The demi-Saiyan walked up the stairs to his seat, ignoring the odd looks his classmates were giving him, probably over his evident lack of sleep. Neither of his two friends had arrived yet. Gohan wasn't sure whether to be relieved or upset about that.

Choosing to do neither, Gohan sat down and closed his tired eyes, hoping to rest them just a little bit before class began.

* * *

"You look like crap."

Gohan's lids fluttered open at the familiar voice, only to be met with darkness. _'Who the hell turned off the lights?'_ He then paused. _'Oh.'_

Slowly lifting his head from the desk upon which he'd so ungracefully fallen asleep at, the demi-Saiyan turned his attention to the source of the voice, and spotted a grim-faced Sharpner staring at him, a hint of disdain in his features. Beside him sat the familiar blonde head of Erasa, who had a worried expression on her pretty features.

Gohan didn't need to be fully awake to realise that the picture wasn't complete. "Where's Videl?"

Sharpner frowned. "Not here. We were hoping you could tell us why."

Gohan mirrored his frown. "She didn't tell you guys anything?" he asked the pair.

"No," Erasa answered. "All she told us yesterday was to get in her jetcopter, and that we were leaving. We tried to get her to talk to us on the flight back but she kept silent."

Sharpner crossed his arms. "Eventually we stopped asking. We know better than to aggravate Videl when she's angry. Man, that was an awkward flight home."

Gohan let out a breath he didn't realise he was holding. For some reason, it was comforting to hear that Videl didn't tell anyone what she'd found out. At the same time, it made his deception all the more painful.

"She was super pissed, Gohan," Erasa elaborated, her brows crinkling in sorrow. "But her eyes were also red, like she'd been crying. Videl never cries."

"What the hell happened?" Sharpner enquired, his eyes narrowing.

Gohan sighed. Knowing how much he'd upset his friend made him feel like an even bigger scumbag. The glare Sharpner was giving him and the misery marring Erasa's face only alleviated that feeling. "Ok, I'll tell you guys," he relented. "But I can't tell you now. After school, on the roof."

"Is that really necessary?" Erasa asked. It was clear the wait would be torturous for someone with her inquisitive nature.

"Yes," Gohan stated in a tone that brokered no argument.

"Fine," Erasa sighed. "If I waited this long, I can wait another six hours."

The demi-Saiyan smiled slightly. "Thanks. I appreciate it." He then turned to his other blond friend. "And thanks for waking me, Sharpner. My mum would kill me if she found out I was sleeping in class."

The masculine blond couldn't help the tiny smirk that formed at the edge of his lips. "I know. And while you'd probably deserve it, I still like you far too much to let that happen." He then clasped his hands together and placed them against the back of his head, confidently exposing his muscular arms to the rest of the class. "Besides, Erasa would kill me if I let you go without getting any answers out of you."

Said blonde gasped in mock anger and slapped Sharpner's arm. "Don't give me that! You were just as curious as I was!"

Despite every crap thing that happened in the past day, a brief chuckle escaped Gohan at his friends' antics. At least things were looking up… somewhat.

* * *

The rest of the school day passed by in a robotic haze for Gohan, with the demi-Saiyan mechanically working through his classes and doing the bare minimum of what was required. Very little of what he learnt was retained, however, as he was simply far too tired and preoccupied. Break times were spent napping underneath a tree, with Sharpner and Erasa deciding to give him a wide berth to ensure he got the rest they felt he sorely needed.

Now that the school day was over with, and Gohan had regained at least some of his vigour, he planted himself at the edge of the school roof, his arms crossed as he gazed out onto the city below. An uncharacteristically serious expression was plastered across his face as he pondered exactly how to spill the beans to his blonde friends.

The creaking of the door alerted Gohan to their presence, and with a heavy sigh he turned around and gave the pair a nervous smile. "Hey guys, glad you could make it."

Sharpner scoffed at the greeting, but smiled nonetheless. "You better have a good reason for leading us up here, Brains. The wind messes up my hairstyle," he said as he ran a hand through his long, golden locks.

Erasa smirked. "Sharp, with how much car grease you rub into your hair, not even a tornado could ruin your 'hairstyle'," she accentuated with her fingers. The tall blond spluttered indignantly at the insult but Erasa ignored him and fixed her spiky-haired friend a serious look. "Well Gohan, spill it."

The demi-Saiyan felt his heartbeat quicken as the nerves built. He took a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself, remembering what his father told him that morning. "You guys know how Videl has a thing against the Great Saiyaman?" he asked meekly.

The blonde duo nodded. "Yeah, she really wants to kick that guy's ass for some reason," Sharpner replied. "After she unmasks him of course."

Gohan chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his head. "Yeah… about that…" Deciding to just get it over with, he pressed the red button on his watch and felt his vision darken as the Saiyaman outfit materialised over his school clothes.

A few seconds passed with nary a sound on the roof, aside from the gentle ruffling of the wind. Gohan glanced over at his friends and spotted matching dumbfounded expressions; eyes as wide as an owl's and jaws dropped open.

Erasa lifted a trembling finger and pointed it at the superhero. "Y-y-you're him! You're Saiyaman!"

Sharpner, meanwhile, rubbed his eyes as though it were a trick, but when he realised the sight was real, just sighed and rubbed his brow with two fingers. "This is heavy. Makes sense why Videl was so pissed." He then gave Gohan another look-over. "You dun goofed, bro."

Gohan dematerialised his outfit lest someone somehow stumble across him. He'd already made his point. Once he was back in his school clothes, he noticed that his friends' expressions were slowly returning to normal. "So, yeah, I'm Saiyaman…" he trailed off.

Erasa had by now fully broken out of her stupor, and slowly approached Gohan. Once she reached the boy, she gently prodded his biceps, chest and stomach with her finger. He couldn't help but blush as the contact.

The girl then stepped back and regarded him with a thoughtful look. "Well, you certainly have the build for it. And with who your parents are, it'd made sense for you to be that strong." Her eyes then glazed over and a wide grin cracked her features. "I'm friends with a superhero!"

"No kidding," said Sharpner as he walked over and regarded Gohan with a wary look. "Speaking of which, all that stuff you can do, like flying and shooting fireballs out of your hands… is that all a trick?" he questioned.

Gohan shook his head. "No, it's not a trick. It's all done using ki, which is the life energy possessed by every living being. Anyone can do those things with enough training."

The muscular blond's eyes widened. "You serious? You're saying even someone like me can learn to do that?"

"Sure," Gohan replied. "If you're dedicated enough."

"Sweet!" Sharpner grinned.

Gohan scratched the back of his head again. "Actually, that might be the whole reason Videl hates Saiyaman so much." At the blondes' curious gazes the demi-Saiyan continued. "Not that long ago, Videl asked me-Saiyaman, I mean, to train her. I refused," he admitted ashamedly.

"Why did you refuse?" Erasa enquired.

Gohan sighed. "I was scared of her getting close to me, enough to uncover my secret. I knew how much she wanted to unmask Saiyaman."

Erasa nodded. "Yeah, that's our Videl. When she puts her mind to something, you can bet your ass she'll persist with it until she gets what she wants." Her eyes then narrowed slightly. "But why didn't you trust her? Was all that stuff you said to us over the weekend meaningless?"

Gohan frowned and shook his head. "It's not like that. This happened before I got close to you guys… before I resolved to tell you all the truth, albeit at my own pace. Videl just found out a bit ahead of schedule," he said sheepishly.

"How?" Sharpner asked. "I was just chilling outside with Erasa, then she stormed out of the house, fuming, and told us we were leaving."

"Yeah, it was scary," Erasa added before pouting. "And I was having so much fun, too."

Gohan sighed sadly as he remembered the incident. "You remember when my mum told me to go upstairs to my room and call down Goten?" The blondes nodded. "Well, it turned out he was wearing my Saiyaman outfit at the time. Videl saw."

Erasa's brow creased in worry. "The poor little guy. He must've been devastated."

"Yeah, he was," Gohan stated with a frown. "I tried my best to calm him down, and reassure him that he wasn't to blame, but it wasn't easy. The little tyke is pretty sensitive. It's all good now though."

Erasa smiled at that. "Good. That means I won't have to scold you."

Gohan's lips quirked upwards at that comment.

"So what are you going to do now?" Sharpner asked the Saiyan, who ran a hand through his spiky hair.

"Well first, I was planning to apologise to Videl and explain myself," he said.

Erasa nodded. "That's a start. Sharpner and I were planning to visit Videl after school. You can come with us."

That seemed like the best option to Gohan. He wasn't sure he would be comfortable facing Videl alone, not least if Mr Satan was there. The mere thought of the burly martial artist's potential antics made him shudder, especially given how overprotective the man was.

"Works for me," Gohan exclaimed as Sharpner threw down a capsule. Once the smoke dissipated, the demi-Saiyan eyed a sleek red convertible that looked like it had been washed very recently.

"Ahh, I forgot," Sharpner said while scratching his cheek. "My car is only a two seater." He gave Gohan a small smirk. "Not that that's a problem for you, Mr Superhero."

At that Gohan couldn't help but chuckle lightly. "Nope. I have my own ride."

The two blondes gave the spiky-haired teen inquisitive gazes. "You mean you don't fly to school yourself?" Erasa questioned curiously.

Gohan merely gave her a smile in response and turned to the sky. "Kinto'un!" he bellowed, cupping his hands around his mouth for emphasis.

A few seconds passed where nothing happened. Sharpner looked like he was about to speak up if his mouth opening was any indication, but he was halted in his tracks once the sound of something whizzing through the air reached the ears of the three friends.

At a speed faster than the newest jetcopter, a small golden cloud screeched to a stop in front of one grinning teen, and two gobsmacked ones.

"Sharpner, Erasa, this here is Kinto'un," Gohan introduced proudly, pointing to the strange object. "It was given to my father as a present when he was a kid, and it's been in the family ever since." He then ran a hand gently through the cloud, which seemed to shiver in joy. "To my knowledge, it's the fastest… vehicle, I guess you could say, in the world. It's also a very dear friend."

The flabbergasted looks remained on the blonde duo's faces throughout Gohan's explanation, but Sharpner eventually found it in him to speak. "Uhh, Gohan, you know this is a cloud, right."

"I am very aware of that, Sharpner," the demi-Saiyan replied matter-of-factly, to which the muscular blonde chuckled self-deprecatingly.

"I don't even know why I'm surprised," he muttered. "Your family is the textbook definition of weird."

"I didn't even know you read textbooks," Erasa teased as she pushed past the sputtering blond and walked over to Kinto'un, grinning widely at the cloud. "It's sooo cute," she squealed gleefully, tickling the cloud which shivered once more in response. "Can I ride it?"

"I don't know," Gohan replied simply. "Kinto'un is very picky about who it lets ride it. If it doesn't deem you to have a pure enough heart, you'll fall right through."

Erasa shuddered at that revelation, and slowly backed away from the fluffy vehicle. "I see. Maybe I'll try riding it later."

Sharpner barked out a laugh. "What's wrong, Erasa? Is your head too full of perverted thoughts to be pure?" he mocked good-naturedly.

The smaller blonde scowled at her friend, but didn't humour him with a response. "Anyway, I think we'd better be getting to Videl's house. We've wasted quite a bit of time up here."

At that realisation the group, especially Gohan, sobered up. The demi-Saiyan felt a flicker of guilt at the fact that he was joking around with Sharpner and Erasa, without yet having apologised to Videl. "You're right, let's get a move on. You guys lead the way."

With that the two blondes entered Sharpner's sporty convertible, while Gohan hopped on Kinto'un. The car revved up then shot off into the sky, causing the magic golden cloud to follow after it. Its spiky-haired rider ordered it to fly high above his friends so as to not risk being seen by the general public.

After a few minutes, the towering behemoth known to residents of the area as the Satan Manor came into view; it being the defining feature in the skyline of the city that bore the name of its supposed saviour.

At first glance, it was quite an impressive building in Gohan's eyes, albeit one that perfectly reflected the vanity of its owner, if the solid gold statues of Mr Satan lining the main pathway were anything to go by.

Sharpner's car pulled up on the side of the road, just outside the imposing pointed fence that protected the privacy of the large dwelling's inhabitants. Gohan dropped down to the ground just as his blonde friends were exiting the vehicle, briefly startling them in the process.

Sharpner just shook his head and walked towards the lofty gate. There was a small device mounted on the wall beside the gate, on which the blond pressed a button. A few seconds passed, before a cracking voice was heard from the electronic object. "Can I help you?" it asked.

"It's Sharpner, along with Erasa and a friend. We're here to visit Videl," the tall teen answered.

"Understood. Letting you in," spoke the voice from the intercom.

Within moments, the gargantuan gate slowly opened, allowing the three teens entrance into the well-tended grounds. Sharpner and Erasa were the first to step through, following the straight path to the front door, so Gohan trailed behind them.

As he walked in between the colossal, golden statues of Mr Satan, the demi-Saiyan couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. _'I bet Vegeta would love to blow these garish things up.'_

He cast that humorous thought to the side once the group reached the thick wooden door of the mansion. His heartbeat quickened as a few scenarios played out in his head of the potential encounter with Videl. None of them were pleasant.

The ringing of the doorbell broke Gohan out of his solemn musings. A few seconds later it opened with nary a creak of the hinges, revealing a tall, lanky and bald, yet well-dressed elderly gentleman clad in a simple black suit. His kindly eyes crinkled happily when he spotted the teenagers. "Mr Sharpner, Miss Erasa, it's delightful to see you two again." His gaze then trailed over to the unfamiliar face. "Hello there, I don't believe we've met before."

"Hey there Mayweather, it's good to see you too," Erasa greeted with a smile. "This here is Son Gohan," she added, pointing to the spiky-haired teen.

The butler's eyes widened imperceptibly and his grey moustache twitched ever so slightly. He bowed to the newcomer. "Charmed, Mr Son. You may call me Mayweather."

Gohan returned the bow. "Pleasure to meet you, Mayweather."

The butler smiled and faced the whole group once more. "Mistress Videl is downstairs in the dojo. Master Satan is out on business. Please don't hesitate to ask should you require anything," he informed them as he turned around and walked away.

Gohan inwardly let out a sigh of relief at the fact that Mr Satan was absent. While he was by no means scared of Videl's father, he really didn't want to converse with the man lest the world champ recognise him from the Cell Games. That was a meeting he wanted to put off for as long as possible.

Once Mayweather disappeared from sight, the demi-Saiyan followed his blonde friends inside the house. As soon as he stepped through the doorway, Gohan was immediately hit with a feeling of… inferiority?

The interior of the Satan Manor was just as intricately decorated as the exterior; a polished tiled floor without a speck of dust staining it, enormous portraits of various historical figures and locations painted by the finest artists, flawless marble sculptures without a single chip in them, and ornately carved wooden furniture that looked to be the peak of human comfort. And yet, this was just at first glance. Gohan was sure the list would go on even further the more he explored.

 _'Better not let Mum know how rich Videl is,'_ Gohan mused humorlessly. _'Knowing her, she'll get some weird ideas in her head.'_ He shuddered at the thought.

Sharpner and Erasa led Gohan through a few hallways until they reached a marble stairway that led to a lower floor. Along the way, Gohan couldn't help but feel that for all its wealth and riches, the house was uncomfortably empty – almost tragically so. It saddened him to know that Videl was living in such an environment.

"Mayweather's been working for the family since just after Mr Satan became the world champion for the first time," Erasa explained casually, distracting Gohan from his ponderings, which he was quite thankful for. "Staff comes and goes all the time, but Mayweather's been in for the long haul. He's such a sweetheart."

Gohan found it hard to disagree. The butler really did have a warm and pleasant aura about him.

As the group trudged down the stairs, Gohan could faintly make out the sounds of spirited shouting, as well as the thud of flesh hitting against something solid. Once they reached the bottom of the stairs, he noticed that instead of it being tiled like above, the floor was now made up of wooden boards.

Erasa led the way down the corridor. It wasn't a long walk, and Gohan was immediately able to recognise what the loud sounds were.

The end of the corridor led into a large space littered with objects familiar to a martial artist. Makiwara boards adorned the walls on one side. A weights set and barbell rack covered another. A huge mirror was situated on the side opposite the weights, upon which one could monitor and correct their form. Large, thick punching bags spread out across the area hung from the ceiling. There was even a spacious mat in the very centre of the room, no doubt meant for sparring matches.

It was quite an impressive sight, no doubt, although Gohan still preferred training in a more natural environment.

First impressions of the dojo aside, Gohan's eyes immediately fixed themselves on Videl, who was ruthlessly wailing on one of the punching bags with barely-contained fury. Her normally rhythmic punches were now erratic, and her kicks crude and forceful instead of elegant and graceful. She was clearly distressed.

Nevertheless, for what it was worth, Gohan still found it an entrancing sight, as Videl did look quite nice in her simple white gi, and the black belt she wore around her petite waist made her look rather fearsome. The only downer was the plaster cast covering her right arm. He paused as he stared at the object, only for his stomach to churn at the implication. _'Oh no…'_

Having noticed the distraction to her training, Videl swung her head around to glare at the group. However, upon seeing Gohan, her scowl turned downright murderous. "What the hell is he doing here?" she ground out, angrily pointing at the object of her ire with her uninjured hand.

Gohan raised his hands in defense. "Videl, please, I can explain-"

"Save it, Gohan!" she spat venomously. "You had your chance to explain, and you blew it! I don't give a shit about your explanations anymore!"

"Please, you have to listen to me. I only-"

"I don't want to listen!" she screamed. "Get the hell out!"

"Videl, please, give him a chance," Erasa pleaded, only for the raven-haired crime fighter to turn her glare on the blonde.

"He had plenty of chances, but he didn't take them!" she shouted, her face rapidly reddening. "Shows just how much he cares about my feelings!"

"Videl, please, listen to me," Gohan whimpered, having crossed the distance between them and placed his hands on her slender shoulders. "Please, listen to me," he choked out as the barest hints of wetness formed in his eyes.

By now Videl was breathing heavily, her small yet strong body shaking. Yet for some reason – probably exhaustion – she leaned forward into Gohan's broad chest and lightly punched his stomach with her uncovered hand. There was no malicious intent in it, but that one punch carried with it all of her sorrow, frustration and betrayal. "I trusted you…"

"I know," Gohan whispered into her ear as he gently wrapped his arms around her, a few tears sliding down his cheeks. "I'm sorry."

"We'll leave you two alone," Erasa suddenly said, which Gohan was grateful for. The situation was awkward enough without gawkers. "Come on, Sharpner, let's wait outside."

Gohan and Videl stayed in the same position for a few seconds, the taller teen being content to let her calm down. Plus, he liked the feel of her in his arms. Eventually, her breathing returned to its normal pace, and she broke free of his embrace.

"Videl, what happened to your arm," Gohan asked softly, dreading the answer. Thankfully though, his tears had stopped.

The raven-haired girl didn't meet his gaze, but her face scrunched up into a frown. "I broke my hand. It seems a certain someone has bones of steel," she muttered.

Gohan's heart sank as he was hit with a sudden stinging pain in his chest. He was the cause of her pain… and not just emotional, but physical as well. "Videl, I'm so sorry," he croaked, the feelings of self-disgust amplifying. "This was the last thing I wanted to happen."

She just scoffed and crossed her arms, but said nothing in response. Gohan saw this as a somewhat positive sign. He dug into his pocket and pulled out a familiar brown bag. Reaching inside, he pulled out a senzu bean and offered it to Videl. "Here."

The girl studied the green been briefly, immediately recognising it as the same one Saiyaman had given her before. Wordlessly, she reached out and took it, then popped it in her mouth. After a few seconds she swallowed, and then swiftly removed her cast and threw it aside. "Well, at least you're good for something," she grumbled.

Gohan couldn't help himself. He chuckled, both in happiness and relief; happiness that Videl was free of injury, and relief that Videl was back to making jokes.

She, however, didn't return his chuckle, instead fixing him with her ever-familiar glare. "Well, since you were nice enough to heal my injury – which you inflicted, might I add – I guess I can at least give you a chance to explain yourself properly."

Gohan sighed. "Thank you. I really appreciate it," he admitted honestly. He then walked over and sat on the weights bench. After a few seconds of hesitation, Videl moved to sit beside him.

The demi-Saiyan let out a deep breath. "I wanted to tell you… so bad, believe me," he began earnestly. "I was just… working towards it. I wanted to do it at my own pace. You just happened to find out on your own."

"Why couldn't you tell me over the weekend?" Videl asked, her tone of voice even.

"I was scared," Gohan admitted without hesitation. "I was scared of your reaction. For the first time in my life, I had made friends who were my age. I didn't want to risk losing them because they thought i was a freak. That, and you already had a grudge against Saiyaman."

Videl frowned at that. "The only reason I had a grudge against Saiyaman in the first place was because he- you, refused to train me when I asked." She then gave the boy a stern look. "Why did you refuse?"

Gohan sighed. He sure was doing that a lot lately. "That was before I'd gotten to know you. Before I knew I could trust you. I was scared that if I trained you and got closer to you, you'd find out who I was." He shrugged. "In hindsight, that wouldn't have been such a bad thing, but I didn't know that back then. A lot changed over the course of the week."

"I guess I can see why you'd be hesitant. I can be a bit overbearing at times," she remarked with a slight chuckle, before her voice hardened. "But like you said, that was before you knew you could trust me. You could've easily said something that weekend. I get that you were worried, but seriously, Gohan, was everything we went through that weekend at your place for nothing?'

"No, it wasn't," Gohan reassured her. "It's just… heh, in case you haven't noticed, I'm a bit awkward around people sometimes. I've had a pretty sheltered life, at least in regards to social interaction. I'm not trying to make excuses or anything, but I just didn't know what to do."

At that Videl let out a small laugh. The sound warmed Gohan's wounded heart. "Well, you've got a point there," she agreed. "I guess Sharpner, Erasa and myself have to teach you how to be a normal teenager… or at least, as normal as you can get while being a damn superhero."

Gohan returned her laugh. "So… are we good."

Videl paused, briefly considering her answer. "For now," she said, her tone serious once more. "You really hurt me, Gohan. It's not easy for me to trust people, given who my dad is, but I took a chance with you and it almost backfired. Please don't make me regret giving you another chance," she pleaded.

"You won't," Gohan told her sincerely, the conviction in his voice almost tangible. "Count on it."

The raven-haired crime fighter smiled. "Good. So… how about that training now, eh, Mr Saiyaman?"

Said superhero laughed. "Of course I'll train you. It's the least I can do to make it up to you."

"Sweet," Videl grinned. "Your place tomorrow after school?"

"Sounds good to me," Gohan smiled.

A comfortable silence passed between the two teenagers; both simply relishing the moment their friendship was salvaged.

Before too long though, Videl spoke up. "So... Son Gohan is the Great Saiyaman. Who would've thought." She stroked her chin contemplatively. "I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised though, given who your family is."

Gohan laughed. "Erasa said something similar, believe it or not."

Videl's eyes widened. "Erasa knows? Sharpner too, I take it?"

Gohan nodded. "Yeah, they know," he confirmed. "I told them up on the roof after school, just before we decided to come to your place."

The crime fighter returned the nod. "Makes sense. Don't worry, they're trustworthy. I've known those two blondes my whole life. They're loud, and a bit dense, but they'll keep your secret."

"I wouldn't have told them if I didn't think at least that much," Gohan said, a big grin on his lips.

Silence reigned for a few more moments. Glancing at Videl out of the corner of his eye, the demi-Saiyan saw her face was somewhat tense, as though she were deep in thought. For some reason, that worried him slightly.

"Say, Gohan…" she began, hesitation evident in her tone.

"Yes?" he asked, turning to face his friend.

Videl shuffled a bit where she was seated. "I know you're Saiyaman and all, but are you also the Golden Warrior?"

The question froze Gohan in his tracks. His heartbeat quickened and he felt a trail of sweat run down his temple. He had hoped with all his heart that Videl wouldn't ask him that, but the girl was way too perceptive. ' _Darn. I was prepared to tell her about Saiyaman, but I wasn't prepared for this. What do I do?'_

"Well?" she enquired, narrowing her eyes ever so slightly, unaware of how much he was panicking inwardly.

Gohan sighed, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. "No, I'm not the Golden Warrior," he told her calmly.

Ignoring the sick feeling in his gut, he opened his eyes and gazed into Videl's, analysing her reaction. Her face was passive – expressionless. He was never the best at reading people, especially women, but he didn't have a clue as to what was going through her head. However, he could've sworn he saw the faintest glimmer of doubt in those bright cerulean orbs of hers, and the mere thought of that struck him like a Death Beam to the chest. He tried to suppress the pain, however.

He wasn't ready to tell her, and she wasn't to hear it. Not here. Not now. ' _I just hope I did the right thing...'_

Unlike earlier, where the silence between them was comfortable, it now tortured every fibre of his being. He desperately wished she'd say something, just to break the tense atmosphere.

After a few seconds, his wish was granted.

"Okay," Videl said simply. Gohan resisted to urge to let out a deep breath, lest he reveal his deception. She then gazed deeply into his dark irises. "There is one other thing I've been wondering about, however."

At that Gohan gulped. "Yes?" he asked meekly.

"Those beans of yours are pretty great," she commented cheerfully, a stark contrast to her earlier demeanour. "Where did you get them?"

Had he not trained to remain composed at all times, the demi-Saiyan would've fallen off his seat. Of all the questions he was expecting her to ask, that one was among the last. He couldn't help himself. He broke out into fits of laughter.

Videl merely watched him with a small smile adorning her pretty features, content to let him finish. After a few seconds of trying to calm himself down, Gohan turned to face the crime fighter. "I'm sorry," he apologised. "I just wasn't expecting you to ask that. To answer your question, they're grown by a cat god who lives in a tower high above the clouds."

She stared at him blankly, disbelief evident on her features. "You're not lying, are you?"

He shook his head. "Nope."

"Huh," she remarked. "I guess anything's possible with you."

At that Gohan chuckled. "So I've heard."

Videl returned the chuckle. "Come on," she beckoned, standing up from her seat. "Let's go see Sharpner and Erasa. They're probably worried. Sharpner might try to hide it, but I know how that guy's mind works."

Gohan nodded as he stood up and followed after her.

Once they left the dojo, the pair spotted their two blonde friends sitting at the foot of the staircase. Hearing their approach, Erasa shot up from where she was sitting and darted towards the duo. "You're walking together! And you're not shouting! That means everything's ok!" she cheered as she gave the two a hug.

"Yeah, yeah, we're fine, now get off," Videl grumbled, gently pushing the blonde away.

"I have to say, Brains, you're a lucky guy," Sharpner commented with a smirk. "Had you been anyone else, Videl probably would've busted your balls for upsetting her."

Gohan paled at the thought. Knowing Videl, that certainly sounded plausible. And, given her proficiency in martial arts, it would probably hurt like hell. He chuckled weakly. "Thanks Sharpner. I'll keep that in mind."

"Oh my gosh!" Erasa squealed as she grabbed Videl's right arm and inspected it like some sort of detective. "I thought your arm was broken! What gives?"

"Gohan carries with him a bag of magic beans grown by a cat god who lives in a tower in the sky," the raven-haired girl remarked casually. "He gave me one of them and it healed my arm right up."

If she was expecting a reaction from the blondes, she didn't get one. Her eyes drifted from one to the other and narrowed. "I thought you guys would be surprised."

"Oh, we decided to stop being surprised by any weird stuff where Gohan's concerned," Erasa commented, casually inspecting her nails.

"Yeah," Sharpner agreed. "We figured if he rides to school on a golden cloud, anything's possible."

Videl shifted her attention to the subject of the conversation. "You ride to school on a cloud?" At his meek nod she sighed, but smiled nonetheless. "I guess we have a lot to talk about during our training sessions."

This little tidbit of information, however, did elicit a reaction from the blondes. "So you're training Videl, Gohan?" Erasa asked. At their nods Erasa's grin morphed into something reminiscent of the Cheshire Cat. "That's so cool! You two can be the hottest superhero couple in town! The Great Saiyaman and the Great Saiyawoman! We just need to get Videl a costume of her own… might I suggest something pink and purple?" she suggested innocently.

Videl visibly paled and couldn't suppress her shudder. "Don't even joke about that, Erasa. One costumed jackass flying around Satan City is enough, thank you very much."

"Uhh, I'm right here you know," Gohan deadpanned.

"Oh, I know," Videl said, brushing him off without a care in the world. "I just don't care," she added with a smirk.

Gohan couldn't help but sigh. _'Just what have I gotten myself into?'_

* * *

 **AN: Hi all. Really sorry about the delay with this chapter. I've been having even more bad luck with illness, which totally killed my motivation to write. Then, once I healed up completely, I had to board a plane to Europe to visit family, and that's where I am now. Luckily, I have a fair bit of free time just sitting around in my grandmother's apartment, so I was able to finish up the rest of this chapter. I think it turned out decent in the end. There was quite a bit of dialogue to write, which I hope I made engaging enough. The real fun stuff starts now, with Videl beginning her training, so look forward to it.**

 **With that said, I'd like to extend my most sincere thanks to everyone who favourited, followed and reviewed this fic. It's people like you who give me the most motivation to write, so again, thank you. That aside, any further feedback would be very much appreciated.**

 **Until next time!**


	6. Training Begins

**Rising to the Challenge – The Legacy of Son Gohan**

 **Chapter 6 – Training Begins**

Videl was a bundle of nerves as she piloted her jetcopter towards the Son household, where she was to undertake Son Gohan's martial arts training. She hadn't received any formal training for several years now – not after her father had told her she wasn't ready to learn his advanced techniques. Since that moment, she hadn't approached him for a reevaluation of her skills, having decided to get strong on her own. For a long time, that seemed to be the right decision, as her skills rapidly improved along with her confidence.

However, the appearance of Saiyaman in her life alerted her to a startling realisation – one that she was initially loathe to admit. The fact of the matter was, there were people out there who were vastly more powerful than her, and if she ever hoped to both surpass her father and become an effective crime fighter, she would need to enlist external help. Despite the hit to her pride, it was a necessary course of action.

That was one of the reasons for her nervousness, along with the fact that her new 'mentor', if one could even call him that, was of the same age as her. While that fact initially frustrated her, it now gave her a bit of hope. After all, if Gohan could get as strong as he was at the mere age of 16, then surely she could too... right?

"Are we there yet?" Sharpner exclaimed with a yawn, having spread his legs lazily and sprawled out to cover the entire backseat of the jetcopter. "I know we've been here before, but I still can't get over just how far away Brains lives." He then pouted. "Couldn't we just have ridden that magic cloud of his back with him? That thing's fast as hell."

Videl frowned in annoyance at Sharpner's complaining. "Gohan said he had to rush home to take care of some things," she grumbled to the muscular blond. "Besides, I had to go home and get ready... and clear things up with my dad, of course."

"Plus, that cute golden cloud is really small," Erasa chimed in from the passenger seat. "I'm sure you'd be pretty uncomfortable having to share such a small space with both Gohan and us," she added with a giggle.

Sharpner spluttered uncomfortably as a tint of red coloured his cheeks. Eventually, he composed himself and fixed the two females with his usual cocky smirk. "Brains could've just flown by himself. Meanwhile, you two could've sat on my lap," he suggested while wiggling his eyebrows.

Videl turned around and swiftly hurled an empty energy drink can at Sharpner, which bounced off the blond's forehead with a thunk, eliciting a brief shout of pain from him.

"And it's thoughts like that that'll stop you from ever getting to ride on Kinto'un," Erasa exclaimed matter-of-factly. "After all, you remember what Gohan said about needing to have a pure heart."

Sharpner muttered something incomprehensible under his breath and crossed his arms, choosing not to dignify his fellow blonde with a response. Erasa nodded triumphantly, before turning to Videl. "So, how exactly did you convince your dad to let you train at Gohan's place? He can't have been happy."

The raven-haired crime fighter snorted in amusement. "I'm not stupid enough to think he'd accept such a request. You know how stubborn he is, especially with his stupid rules about boys," she explained. "So I had Mayweather cover for me. We convinced him that every day after school for the next few weeks, I'm supposed to go to a specialised tutor for help with my studies." She then smirked. "Not too far of a stretch from the truth, really."

Erasa barked out a laugh. "Clever. Mr Satan would never think to check up on you."

"Yeah," Videl agreed, her tone carrying a tiny hint of sadness. "He's way too absorbed in his own business these days to check up on me all that much."

Conversation ceased after that, with each of the three teenagers choosing to focus on their own thoughts. Eventually, the familiar domed dwelling of their spiky-haired friend came into view, the sight lifting Videl's spirits.

The girl landed the jetcopter on the grass outside the house, and once the three city dwellers had exited it, she decapsulised the vehicle. She then approached the front door with a bit of trepidation. After all, the last time she'd been here, she didn't part on the best of terms, and despite Gohan reassuring her that her conduct had been understandable, she was still a bit ashamed at her behaviour.

Before she could knock on the door, it was opened from inside, revealing the smiling visage of Son Chi-Chi, who immediately graced Videl with a hug, which she happily returned.

"Videl, I'm so glad you're back," the older woman said, slightly tightening her embrace.

"Me too," Videl told her, before pulling away and looking Chi-Chi in the eyes. "I'm sorry about leaving the way I did on the weekend," she mumbled sheepishly. "It wasn't my best moment."

Chi-Chi waved off her concerns. "Don't worry about it, dear. It's all in the past." She then looked over Videl's shoulder, spotting the other two teens, and bowed her head slightly. "It's good to see you both as well."

"Same here, Chi-Chi," Erasa greeted.

"Likewise," Sharpner added with a nod.

The Son matriarch moved out from the entrance and beckoned her three guests inside. "Come on in. Gohan should be down shortly. He's just getting changed."

The three teens did as she requested and entered the building. As soon as they did, though, Videl was nearly knocked down by a force akin to a cannonball that attached itself to her waist. Regaining her breath, she looked down at the spiky head of hair belonging to little Goten, who had his arms wrapped around her.

"Videl, you're back!" he exclaimed happily, turning to gaze up at her with his protuberant onyx orbs, the emotion in them clear as glass. "I'm so sorry for making you sad," he whimpered.

The girl merely chuckled and gently ran her hand through his thick, black locks. "Don't worry about it, Goten. It's all good now. I'm just happy you're not upset anymore."

The youngest Son child disengaged from her waist and spotted Erasa and Sharpner, the former of which he proceeded to give another hug, while the latter offered out a hand for a high-five, which Goten gleefully accepted.

It was at this moment that Gohan decided to make his appearance, heading down the stairs with a wide grin on his face. "Hi guys!" he greeted jovially.

"Hey Gohan," Videl mumbled, forcing down a blush at Gohan's state of dress. The spiky-haired boy was clad in a sleeveless blue gi and matching pants, with a red sash across his waist and wristbands of the same colour, and black martial arts shoes beneath red leg warmers. He wasn't wearing an undershirt, leaving his ridiculously chiselled arms and chest on display.

"Come on outside," he told them as he made his way out the door. "I'll show you to the training area."

The three guests followed after him and were about to head into the forest, when Gohan came to a halt and turned to look at them worriedly. "Sharpner, are you alright? Your face is really red."

Videl followed his eyes and noticed that it was true; Sharpner really was red, and wincing noticeably.

"I'm fine," the blond ground out weakly. "Just... uhh... felt a bit sick on the way here. I'll be good."

Videl raised an eyebrow at the pitiful excuse, but Gohan seemed to buy it. "Well, ok then," he said. "Let me know if you need to stop and have a rest."

Sharpner gave him a thumbs up and tried to grin cockily, but it was clearly forced.

Once the group got moving again, Videl gave the blond a look-over, and saw that he was holding his right hand gingerly behind his back. Her eyes widened in comprehension. Still, she couldn't resist the chance to have a dig at his expense.

With that in mind, the crime fighter strolled over to her friend. "What's up with you?" she enquired with narrowed eyes.

Sharpner mumbled something incomprehensible.

"What? Speak up, I couldn't hear you," she prodded.

"I said," he muttered uncomfortably, "I gave Goten a high-five." Videl felt a familiar phantom pain in her right hand flare up, but she ignored it. "The kid's hand is like a slab of steel. What's Chi-Chi been feeding him?"

Videl chuckled. "Consider it karma for being such a pain in the ass on the flight here."

Sharpner pouted, but said nothing. Apparently his pride had taken too much of a battering to risk more.

With a smirk, Videl left the blond to his musings.

Before too long, the group came to a stop at a wide clearing amid the trees. "Well, here we are," Gohan exclaimed cheerfully, gesturing to the relatively large area they were standing in.

It was a nice enough place, Videl had to admit, if a bit bare. But she couldn't really see what benefit training here would give, unless he wanted her to do something like push-ups and sit-ups, which she honestly doubted.

As though sensing her thoughts, Gohan smiled. "The purpose of today isn't to get you to do any physical exercise... not yet anyway," he explained gently. "Instead, I'm going to try and get you to find your ki, as that will serve as the base to any further training."

Videl gave her friend a blank look, while Sharpner, who had by now seemingly recovered, nodded slightly. "You mentioned something about that yesterday," he said. "Apparently this ki is something everyone has, but must learn to use?"

"Exactly," Gohan nodded. "I'm impressed you were able to remember that." Sharpner smirked cockily at the praise, not being able to pick up on the slight jab to his intelligence, which Videl inwardly snickered at.

Erasa raised a hand, to which Gohan chuckled. "You don't need to put your hand up to ask a question, Erasa. This isn't a classroom."

The blond gave him a cheeky grin. "It might as well be," she chirped. "And you'd certainly be smart enough to teach in one, _Professor_ Son."

Gohan blushed at the compliment and scratched the back of his head. "Heh, yeah, that's what my mum would like... I think," he mused uncomfortably, before shaking his head. "Anyway, if you want to ask a question, just speak up."

Erasa nodded. "Ok then. Can you please explain this ki business to those of us not familiar with martial arts?"

Although she wouldn't admit it, Videl was grateful for Erasa's apparent ignorance. After all, she didn't have a clue as to what ki was either, having never heard of the term before. As a martial artist herself, and one that prided herself on being quite accomplished for her age, not knowing something like this was yet another slight to her pride.

Thankfully, Gohan was happy to oblige the less knowledgeable of them... which was pretty much everyone other than himself. "Ki is the life energy possessed by every living being," he began in a very professional tone, eliciting light snickers from his three friends. "However, despite everyone having ki, not everyone can use it. It must first be found, and then trained. A person's ki reserves will initially start off rather small, but this can be increased through specialised training."

Erasa raised her hand again, to which Gohan groaned. Nevertheless, he relented to her request. "Yes, Erasa?"

"What happens if you run out of ki?" she questioned.

"Well, if you keep using it you'll eventually wear yourself out and not be able to use it anymore. Kinda like running out of stamina after lots of exercise." He shrugged. "The same principles apply with ki."

Now it was Sharpner's turn to raise his hand. Gohan glared at him for a few moments, but then sighed in resignation. "Yes, Sharpner?"

"What sort of stuff can you do with ki?"

At this Gohan perked up a bit. "I guess it would be easier to show you." He scratched the back of his head. "I was never the best at explaining this kind of stuff. That was more my mentor's thing."

With that, Gohan spread his legs shoulder width apart and bent his arms 90 degrees, his elbows being a fist's distance from his hips. He then clenched his fists and turned them inwards. "This is a common stance often used when charging ki. As for what it looks like..." he trailed off as his expression hardened.

Videl felt slight vibrations in the air as the wind picked up. Gohan's dark hair swayed in the ever-increasing breeze, before out of nowhere a visible white aura appeared around his entire body, bathing him in an armour of invisible flames that gave his normally gentle visage a fierce, vicious appearance.

Videl gaped at the sight, the sheer waves of energy rolling off her friend causing goosebumps to form along her arms and legs. It was one thing to see Saiyaman doing something like that, but to see it with Gohan, her school friend – despite knowing that he was Saiyaman – was a completely different experience. Out of the corner of her eyes she could see that Sharpner and Erasa had similar reactions.

"Once manifested, ki can be used in several ways," he continued, "such as flight, which is also known as Bukujutsu, or Sky Dancing."

Gohan then spread his arms out to the sides and unclenched his hands, his palms now facing towards his onlookers. Then, slowly, his feet rose off the ground, as did the rest of his body. The boy continued levitating in the air, making the feat look graceful and effortless. He eventually came to a complete stop about five metres in the air, from where he looked down at his friends.

All throughout the demonstration, Videl's heartbeat quickened, until it got to the point where it felt like it would burst from her chest. The whole scene rendered her speechless.

Pure, unaided flight was possible for a human being; the visible proof being right above her.

Ever since she was nine years old, Videl wanted to soar above the clouds like a bird. She wanted- no, desired the freedom that came with such a power. She wanted to get away from the prying eyes of the paparazzi, from the pressures of being the daughter of the world's saviour, from the greedy glances of the bastards who pretended to be her friends just because of her last name...

Now, all of that was possible, as evidenced by the sight of Son Gohan floating in the air, gazing down at her like some angelic being of unparalleled power, reducing her to a mere peon in his presence.

She wanted that power for herself...

Completely unaware of the effect he was having on her, Gohan lowered himself to the ground and studied the flabbergasted faces of his three friends. Seeing no objections, he continued his explanation. "Ki can also be manifested into a tangible, destructive force, the power of which varies depending on how much ki is used."

He then held out his hand, drawing the gazes of the three absorbed teenagers. Videl stared at his open, upturned palm, only for her eyes to widen dramatically when a blue ball of energy formed out of thin air, growing from the size of a cherry to something akin to a basketball.

"Feel free to touch it," Gohan told the group gently. "I've lowered the power enough so that it's not dangerous in the slightest."

Videl approached her teacher warily, and held out a trembling finger with which she hesitatingly prodded the ki ball, expecting a sharp, stinging sensation. Contrary to her expectations, however, it felt warm, as though she were sticking her finger into a flame without feeling the burn. Despite that though, she could certainly feel the immense energy pulsing through the orb.

Videl felt a tingling sensation race though her body, spreading from her hands, to her arms, and then splitting off once it reached her chest, shooting down through to the tips of her toes, and up to the ends of her hairs. The ki invigorated her, filling her with an energy the likes of which she'd never experienced, that disappeared as quickly as it came – far too quickly for Videl's liking.

She wanted to feel that energy again. In those few fleeting moments, she felt powerful – almost as though she could take on Cell herself and come out victorious. She needed to feel that energy again.

Sharpner and Erasa backed away, identical slack-jawed expressions marring their faces.

"That was... intense," Sharpner breathed out.

"Yeah. I..." Erasa swallowed, exhaling deeply, "I don't even know how to describe it. That was amazing."

Gohan smiled and clenched his fist, the ball of ki disappearing into nothingness. "That feeling you guys felt? Remember that, because that's what it feels like to use your ki.

"You said that ki could be used destructively," Videl spoke up, having regained her composure. "Could you please demonstrate how?"

Her teacher nodded. "I was getting to that." He held his hand out once more, only now his palm wasn't turned upwards invitingly. Instead, it faced outwards, pointing towards a boulder the size of a football. Without a word, another ball of ki shot out of Gohan's hand at blinding speed and impacted the boulder, creating a small explosion.

When the smoke cleared, no trace of the boulder was seen. Not even a miniscule fragment of rock remained. The original boulder was disintegrated down to the smallest atom.

Videl was flabbergasted. _'_ _This was the power Saiyaman had been using all this time? And this was just a fraction of it?'_ No wonder he could take out crooks so effortlessly. The destructive display both frightened and excited her. She couldn't wait to do stuff like that herself.

Sharpner raised his hand. Gohan's eye twitched. "Yes, Sharpner?" he asked exasperatedly.

"You said the power of a ki blast varies depending on how much it?" Gohan nodded slowly, a glimmer of hesitation in his eyes. "In that case, how powerful would your strongest ki blast be?"

Videl's interest was piqued. She'd never considered it before, since the concept of ki was so new to her, but she really was curious as to the answer to Sharpner's question.

Gohan sighed, but chuckled nonetheless. "I should've known someone would ask that." His expression then hardened as he stared at the three teens. "What would you say if I told you that, at my most powerful, I could destroy the entire planet?"

The three city kids were shocked, Videl especially. To think that a boy her own age could have that much power at his beck and call was terrifying, but strangely enough, she didn't feel at all threatened. She didn't even doubt his claim.

"I'd say you're insane, but I have no reason not to believe you," Sharpner shrugged.

Erasa shared his opinion. "Yeah, I guess it wouldn't be that unexpected, considering everything we've learnt about you," she added with a brief chuckle.

Gohan's expression softened and he scratched the back of his head. "I'm not all that special in that regard, to be honest," he admitted, trying to downplay the revelation. "Anyone with a decent reserve of ki could send a blast down to the Earth's core, which would then cause the planet to self-destruct. I know several people who could do the same."

"Like my father?" Videl enquired.

Gohan paused as he met her eyes, his expression unreadable. After a few brief, agonising seconds, he shrugged. "I suppose. I don't know the man personally, you'd have to ask him." He then chuckled lightly. "Then again, he did save the world."

Videl didn't know what to make of that answer, but figured her friend was just trying to make a bad joke, so she cast that thought to the side for now.

Gohan cleared his throat. "Anyway, using the same principle as firing a ki blast, one could also channel that ki to their punches and kicks, drastically increasing the power of their attacks," he explained.

Videl noticed Sharpner grin widely at this. Apparently the thought of pounding someone into submission with ki-enhanced punches appealed to him. Then again, given how brutish the boxer could be, she really wasn't surprised.

Gohan then paused, and stared off into the distance. "You can come out now, Dad!"

Videl raised an eyebrow. _'Goku was here? How could he tell?'_

A loud, slow clapping could be heard from one of the trees at the edge of the clearing. After a few seconds it stopped, and an orange and blue figure leapt out from among the leaves, crossed the wide distance with a somersault, and landed directly beside the teenagers.

"Hi!" Goku chirped.

The three city dwellers stared at the older man with wide eyes, his sudden appearance shocking the hell out of them.

Gohan simply chuckled and shook his head. "That brings me to the last point I wanted to make. If you're skilled enough, you can sense the ki of another person, no matter where they are. With enough training, your ki sensing can reach across the entire planet," he exclaimed, much to his friends' surprise. "The larger your ki, the easier it is to sense. Of course, one can also learn to suppress and increase their ki, to make it harder and easier to sense."

 _'So that was how Saiyaman was able to find me that night,'_ Videl realised with a shudder. _'What a useful ability. I wonder how large Gohan's ki is...'_

"Anyway, Dad, just what were you doing up there?" Gohan asked his father, his eyes narrowing good-naturedly. "Spying on me is more Piccolo's thing."

Goku chuckled and scratched his cheek. "Well, I couldn't help myself," he replied casually. "I was curious to see how my son went about training others."

Said son scratched the back of his head. "I figured that would be the case. So, how'd I do?"

"Well, you've done great so far, just like I expected," Goku exclaimed, grinning. "But you've always been good at explaining stuff. A lot better than me anyway." His eyes then scanned the other three teenagers, who were paying rapt attention to their conversation. "But let's see how you handle the teaching part."

Gohan smiled. "Feel free to chime in if you think I miss anything," he told his father.

The elder Son nodded and walked off to the side, a few metres away from the group, and sat down cross-legged on the grass. "Have fun, guys!" he said with a wave, a strange grin adorning his face.

For some reason, the way he smiled made Videl wary... almost as though he knew something they didn't. She inwardly shrugged and disregarded that trail of thought. Whatever it was, they'd find out soon enough anyway.

Gohan stroked his chin as he regarded the three teenagers in front of him. "I know Videl wants to learn this stuff, but since you guys are here too," he gestured to Sharpner and Erasa, "I might as well ask. Do you want to try training as well?"

Sharpner was the first to speak up. "Hell yeah!" he exclaimed gleefully. "This ki business sounds badass. As such, an uber badass like myself might as well learn it."

Gohan chuckled, while Videl scoffed at the cocky admission. She inwardly resolved to kick Sharpner's ass at whatever training Gohan decided to have them do. _'I'll teach him about badass...'_

"How about you, Erasa?" the spiky-haired boy asked.

The blonde shuffled nervously on her feet. "I don't know," she admitted, the doubt evident on her face. "I've never done any sort of martial arts training... ever. While this ki stuff sounds really neat, I don't want to hold you guys back, and I don't even know if I'd be any good at it."

Gohan gave her a kind smile. "I can understand your hesitation, believe me. Especially the part about not wanting to be a burden to others," he said as he comfortingly stroked her arm. "But the kind of training I'm about to get you guys to do isn't physical at all. It's more mental than anything. It couldn't hurt to give it a try, right?"

Erasa glanced over at Videl and Sharpner, both of whom gave her approving nods. The blonde then fixed her attention back on Gohan and took a deep breath. "Oh, all right then. Might as well not be the odd one out," she remarked with a smile.

Gohan laughed. "Great! Now, like I said at the beginning, the first step is to bring out your ki," he told the group. "To do that you need to meditate." When he was met with three groans he pouted and scratched the back of his head. "I never said this was going to be easy... or fun. But this is a necessary step."

Despite her disdain for the mental aspect of martial arts, which her father always regarded as a load of horse crap, Videl could understand where Gohan was coming from. That aside, she'd already resolved to undertake any training Gohan asked of her in order to get stronger. He'd shown that he at least knew what he was talking about, and Goku was there to correct any mistakes.

"Alright, what do you need us to do?" she asked her teacher.

Gohan gave her a grateful smile. "Well first, I'm going to need you guys to sit cross-legged on the ground, opposite me. I'll explain from there."

With that the boy parked himself on the grass, hands in his lap, with his three friends also sitting down next to each other, facing towards him.

Seeing that he had their undivided attention, Gohan spoke, "Now, here comes the tricky part. I'm going to need you guys to clear your minds and steady your breathing. In through the nose and out through the mouth, try to be as silent as possible and keep a steady rhythm. This will relax your body, which you need for the next step," he explained, before taking a deep breath.

"The next step is to reach inside your centre, find your ki, and bring it out." At this he was met with three blank stares, to which he scratched the back of his head and gave a nervous chuckle. "Once you have found your ki, you must focus on it with your entire being, and try to grasp it with a metaphorical hand. This is quite a complicated concept, as you need to be in full control of your entire body. Remember what my ki felt like; that's the feeling you're looking for."

With yet another deep breath, Gohan turned to his father and gave him a questioning look, to which Goku replied with a smile and a thumbs up. That in turn caused a smile to spread across Gohan's lips. The spiky-haired boy looked over at his students. "Any questions?"

Videl glanced at her two blonde friends, and was able to notice a few hints of doubt in their expressions, especially Erasa's. However, neither of them seemed to have any questions for their teacher. As for Videl herself, she was able to get the gist of what Gohan was trying to say, but she still wasn't looking forward to actually having to do it.

Which begged the question... "Hey, Gohan, how long is this supposed to take?"

The boy in question turned his attention to her and stroked his chin. "Well, it really depends on the person. If you get the hang of it pretty quickly, it might take you about a day or so. If not, it can take anywhere up to a week," he explained casually.

Videl's spirits dropped. A week of sitting on her ass and meditating? That would be torturous, especially for an action-oriented person like herself. She looked over at Sharpner and Erasa, curious as to their reactions, and resisted the urge to laugh at the panicked expressions plastered all over their faces. Truthfully, they'd probably find it a far more arduous task than her.

Gohan seemed to pick up on the downcast atmosphere if the frown on his face was anything to go by. "You know guys, there's a reason only a very select handful of accomplished martial artists know how to use ki," he told the group. "Learning how to manipulate ki takes a lot of training and dedication, and even then it's an extremely difficult task... unless you're freakishly talented, of course," he added as an afterthought.

Sharpner raised his hand, causing a sweatdrop to roll down Gohan's temple. Videl had to let out a laugh at how flustered the guy got by them treating him like a teacher. Thankfully, this seemed to lighten the mood a bit.

"Yes, Sharpner?" Gohan ground out.

"How long did it take you to learn how to use ki?" the blond asked.

Much to Videl's surprise, Gohan got a faraway look in his eye, as though he were remembering something particularly unpleasant. "It took me less than a day," he answered. At their disbelieving faces he shook his head. "However, you do not, under any circumstances, want to go through what I went though."

"What was so bad about it?" Videl couldn't help but wonder out loud.

"My first mentor threw me into a mountain," Gohan deadpanned. "It was either learn how to use ki, or have my brains splattered all over the rock."

This was most certainly not the answer the three city dwellers expected. With shared looks of shock and disgust, they turned their attention to Goku, who raised his hands defensively.

"Don't look at me, that was Piccolo's handiwork!" he exclaimed. "I was... ahh... kinda indisposed at the time."

Videl breathed a sigh of relief. That made sense. Goku seemed like way too nice of a guy to throw his defenseless kid at a mountain. Still, that was the second time this Piccolo person was mentioned. Why did that name sound familiar?

"Does anyone else have any questions?" Gohan enquired, shaking Videl from her train of though. No one spoke up, causing Gohan to sigh in what sounded like relief. "Alright then, let's get to it."

Videl closed her eyes and attempted to steady her breathing. In through the nose and out through the mouth – that was what Gohan had said. It was a simple enough task, as controlled breathing was something she was quite used to; it being used in a fair few katas from her early days of martial arts training. What came next was the tough part.

Deeming her breathing at a steady, reasonable enough pace, Videl's next goal was to clear her head of any and all errant thoughts. Now this concept was wholly new to the crime fighter.

Videl was a naturally curious girl, a trait only solidified by her strong sense of justice and avid dislike of people who kept secrets. As such, her head was constantly filled with all sorts of thoughts, ranging from mundane ones such as what Mayweather was making for dinner and what classes she had at school the following day, to more serious ones like what motive did criminal X have to commit crime Y and, until recently, what Saiyaman was hiding underneath his helmet.

Freeing her mind was proving to be problematic for Videl, as she had already overanalysed most of what was said to her today... only to now be asked to forget it all, albeit only temporarily.

It was a challenging task for sure, but Videl was motivated. She wanted to learn how to manipulate ki. She wanted to do all the things Gohan had demonstrated. She wanted to become an accomplished martial artist – one that surpassed the name of Satan. She needed to learn how to manipulate ki.

So that was all she focused on. Soon enough, all other thoughts were cast to the side, until only her desire to learn was left. _'About damn time. Now to find my centre.'_

And so she searched. And searched. And searched. Videl didn't know how much time had passed, but she was starting to get frustrated. Her backside was getting sore, and her thoughts trailed to how much of a pain in the ass meditation was.

"Focus, Videl. Your thoughts are straying."

She opened her eyes at Gohan's comment and narrowed them. "And how would you know that?" she spat out angrily.

The Son boy didn't flinch or back down from her little outburst. He remained composed and gave her a blank stare. "It's written all over your face. You were doing well for a while, then you started getting frustrated. It's not rocket science," he explained.

Videl sighed and bowed her head in shame. That kind of behaviour was uncalled for. "I'm sorry, Gohan," she apologised. "It's just, I'm not used to finding this kind of stuff so difficult."

"It's alright," Gohan reassured her gently. "I understand your frustration, but you need to persevere. Think of how great things will be once you finally get this down. You can do it. You're a strong, driven girl. You got this."

Videl smiled at the praise, and closed her eyes once more. Steadying her breathing came more naturally to her this time. Clearing her head was much easier too, given there wasn't much to clear. _'Now to try and find my centre again.'_

She focused hard, trying to be the master of her own body. Every twitch of a muscle was intended. Every thought that passed through her head was of her own will, and was tailored towards finding her ki.

She was the one in control.

"Sharpner, stop napping!" she heard Gohan shout.

Videl smiled, but the smile went away as quickly as it came. She was focused again. Sharpner's incompetence was soon forgotten. Her thoughts turned to finding her centre. She remembered the feeling of Gohan's ki pulsing through her body, invigorating and energising every pore. She desired to feel that way again.

The search was on.

An incalculable amount of time passed. Her search had thus far proved futile, but she persisted. This was what she had wanted for such a long time, and she wasn't about to give up on it. Not a chance.

The search was on again.

There!

It was only for a fleeting moment; unquantifiable by any standard measurement of time, but it was there. She felt it. The familiar surge of ki that she had searched for, for so long.

An errant thought tried to distract her – something about an dark-haired boy – but she let it slip by. She didn't have time for it. She had to trace the source.

Videl's mind worked its way through a mental maze of sorts, complete with dead ends and false exits. She could feel it – so close yet so far. It was almost teasing.

She wanted it.

She travelled deeper into the maze, being able to make out the faint trail of her ki. Her body pulsed once more. She was on the right track.

She followed the trail, feeling her heartbeat quicken. But she got it steady again. She was too close to lose control now.

The end of the maze was in sight!

Videl stepped through the exit, only to be greeted by a giant blue ball. Was this it? It had to be. Her elation threatened to surface, but she suppressed it. Her goal was within reach.

With a steady heart, she reached towards the ball with both hands. The microscopic hairs on the edges of her fingertips shot out, drawn to the pulsating energy. It was within reach. It was hers.

With a triumphant grin, she leapt into the ki, submerging her body in its welcoming embrace.

Videl's eyes slowly opened, immediately drawn to where her hands had come together, and to the tiny ball of blue floating between her palms. It was erratic, and she barely had it under control, but it was there. It was hers.

The ball of ki suddenly disappeared, and Videl felt herself lurch forward uncontrollably. It seemed that in one moment, all the stamina she possessed had evaporated completely. She heaved out erratic, uneven breaths, feeling the sweat roll off her in waves.

And yet, despite it all, she smiled.

Her expressive cerulean orbs moved up to meet welcoming onyx ones, along with the gentle smile belonging to the boy who made this all possible. "I... I did it."

"You sure did," Gohan remarked softly. "I'm proud of you, Videl."

The crime fighter felt her cheeks heat up, but she was far too exhausted to try and hide her blush. So she did the next best thing. She tried to turn attention away from herself by nonchalantly checking out her friends' progress.

She first spotted Sharpner, who looked deaf to anything that was happening in the outside world. Videl would've assumed that Sharpner was sleeping, but the lack of Gohan scolding him told her that wasn't the case. That aside, much to her surprise, the spot beside Sharpner was bare. _'Where's Erasa?'_

"Oh my gosh, girl, that was amazing!" came the familiar shriek of her longtime friend. Videl could only turn her head to the source of the noise before she was bowled over by a joyous Erasa, who she didn't have the energy to defend against.

"Get off," she ground out painfully, trying to break free from the blonde's embrace. Eventually, she managed to push Erasa off, but that didn't keep the grin off the jubilant girl's face. "Speaking of which, where were you?"

"I was just sitting of to the side, chatting with Goku," Erasa chirped.

Videl blinked. "What about the training?"

"Oh, I gave up on that ages ago," Erasa answered, waving her hand dismissively. "I couldn't sit still for that long. It was way too boring." She shrugged. "It was cool and all learning about ki, but martial arts just isn't for me.

Videl nodded in agreement. That made sense. It was impressive enough that Erasa had decided to train in the first place, but to actually persist with it… well, as much as she loved her friend, she just knew the blonde didn't have that amount of dedication.

That aside, something Erasa had said made its way to the forefront of the thoughts… "Wait a minute, you said you stopped 'ages ago'. Just how long was I out for?" she questioned.

"It's probably been a couple of hours by now," Erasa replied, and chuckled at Videl's gaping face. "You were really out of it. It was intense, like you were on some kind of epic spiritual journey."

"You have no idea," Videl remarked glibly. She looked over at the other blond. "I see Sharpner's still at it."

"Yeah, I'm surprised he's able to go at it for so long," Erasa commented. "Guess our resident musclehead can get pretty serious when it comes to training."

"Either that, or the motivation to pound someone's face into the ground with supercharged punches is too strong," Videl muttered.

The raven-haired crime fighter stretched out her joints and took a few deep breaths, already feeling her stamina returning. She turned to Gohan, who was still monitoring Sharpner's progress. "What now?" she asked her teacher, who stroked his chin thoughtfully in contemplation.

"Well, to be honest, I wasn't expecting any of you to find your ki so quickly," he admitted with a smile. "That was seriously impressive."

An abashed Videl gazed down towards the ground, lest she blush in her spiky-haired friend's presence again. "Thanks," she murmured.

"I think you'll find the power of flight most beneficial, so I'll teach you that first. The next step is to take your ki and push it down below your feet," Gohan explained. "That will allow you to levitate in the air."

Videl's eyes shot up towards his. "Really? That's it?" At his nod she couldn't suppress her grin. She was so close to finally achieving one of her lifelong goals… so damn close.

Gohan chuckled. "Yep, that's all there is to it. Should be pretty easy compared to actually finding your ki, especially for someone like you." At her questioning stare he scratched the back of his head. "Like I said, I was surprised you managed to find your ki so quickly. All your years of martial arts training must've given you a good degree of control over your body."

"Perhaps," Videl commented with a smirk, "or maybe I just had a really good teacher."

At that comment a light shade of scarlet tinted Gohan's cheeks. "Aha, maybe," he mumbled with a nervous smile. "Or maybe it's both those things?"

Videl laughed. "Sure, let's go with that… Sensei."

The blush staining the boy's cheeks intensified, causing him to turn away from the cause, clearly in an attempt to shift attention away from himself. "Heh, yeah… anyway, what should I do about Sharpner?" he muttered to himself. "Learning to fly requires some space, but I can't just leave the guy alone..."

At that Goku hopped up from his spot on the grass and landed beside Gohan. "It's ok, son, I can watch over him."

"Really? Thanks Dad, I appreciate it!" Gohan said, bowing slightly.

The elder Son chuckled and clapped his son on the shoulder. "No worries. Now off you go, you two kids have fun."

Gohan motioned for Videl to follow after him as he led her away from Goku and Sharpner. To the two dark-haired teens' surprise, Erasa came too.

At Videl's raised eyebrow Erasa shrugged. "Watching Videl learn to fly sounds a hell of a lot more interesting than watching Sharpner meditate."

Said crime fighter couldn't fault the blonde's logic. "Fine. Just don't distract me," she warned.

"Don't worry, I'll be good," Erasa grinned.

"Alright, this should be far enough," Gohan commented, coming to a stop.

Videl looked back over her shoulder and saw that they had reached the opposite end of the clearing from where she had searched for her ki. From what she could see, Sharpner was still deep in meditation, while Goku was absentmindedly playing around with blades of grass. She chuckled.

"Ok, you ready?" Gohan enquired.

Videl nodded. "Let's do this."

"Good. Remember where your ki is. Find it again, and grasp it just like you did before, only this time, try to contain it, and push it down beneath your feet," Gohan explained.

Videl took a deep breath, then stood opposite Gohan. She spread her feet shoulder width apart, much like she had seen her teacher do. She then clenched her fists and pushed them outwards, arms bent and elbows a fist's distance from her body; again mimicking Gohan. Right before she closed her eyes, the crime fighter could've sworn she saw the faintest hint of a smile on his face.

Videl took another deep breath, and reached deep inside her centre. She found it immediately this time, along with the large ball of blue ki that resided there. She reached out towards it, only this time she didn't submerge herself within the inviting sphere of energy.

This time, she grabbed a handful of the pulsating ki, and straight away felt it shoot through her entire body, again forming goosebumps down her arms and legs. But that wasn't what she wanted. Wasting ki was counterproductive to her goal. She needed to control it; to mould it, and shape it to her liking.

With the handfuls of ki still held tightly in her grip, Videl focused her mind on her desired destination, and pushed the energy down through her legs.

She knew something was wrong when she felt a sharp stab of pain in her lower limbs. The urge to cry out was strong, but she suppressed it. She was stronger than that.

"Don't just envision the destination, envision the path as well," she heard Gohan caution. "Control the flow, let nothing go to waste.

Videl grit her teeth, feeling a few sweatdrops form along her brow. That alerted her to the annoying fact that she only had a limited amount of ki to spare, at least for today. She wanted to get this down now. She had to get this down now.

Taking another deep breath, the raven-haired crime fighter found her centre, and grabbed two handfuls of her now familiar ki once more. This time, she thought about the destination: right underneath her feet, as well as the path she wanted her ki to take.

And so the ki moved from her centre, down past her ribs, stomach and waist. It passed through her pelvis, after which she willed the two balls to separate. They went down her thighs, past the bend of her knees, and down to her calves, until they reached her heels. It was here that she stopped the flow, and pooled the ki around her soles.

She was so close now, she could feel it. Her heartbeat quickened.

With a large exertion of energy, Videl pushed the gathered ki through the soles of her feet, feeling a slight tingling as it exited her pores. She felt wind gather around her boots, making the blades of grass sway against the leather. But she didn't feel herself lift off. She was still grounded.

Videl grit her teeth angrily. _'_ _What gives!?'_

"You were too tense," Gohan explained gently. "You were so, so close, but at the last moment the excitement got to you and you lost control."

Videl wanted to scream out in frustration as beads of sweat rolled down her forehead. She felt her chest constrict just a tad, indicating that she was running out of stamina. She knew she didn't have many more shots of this left. She needed to get it right now.

"Sharpner, wake up!" she heard Goku shout from across the clearing.

Videl's body shuddered as she let out a bark of silent laughter. _'_ _Typical Sharpner.'_

Casting aside thoughts of the blond's incompetence, the girl repeated the same process for the third time.

After she'd grabbed two more handfuls of ki, she directed them downwards through her body, down the same path as before. It was smooth sailing this time; her mind staying focused. Driven. Her steadfast desire to learn to fly acted as a barrier against any errant thoughts, and served to contain any excitement she was feeling.

At the end of the path, the ki pooled around her soles, and once it was evenly spread out, she pushed it through her pores. This time, there was no tingling in her feet, the ki's exit being seamless. Wind gathered around her feet, but she didn't feel any grass batter against her boots. All she could feel was the gentle breeze of the wind against her bare legs.

"Videl, open your eyes! You're doing it!" she heard Gohan shout excitedly.

Her eyes shot open at his statement, and widened dramatically when she realised she was several metres above the ground. This was amazing! She let out a gleeful cry. "I'm really flying!" she yelled down at Gohan, and Erasa who was standing beside him. The two teenagers' bodies became smaller as Videl increased in altitude.

A grim look formed on Gohan's previously ecstatic face. "Videl, come down!" he called. "You're getting too high up! Slowly reduce the flow of ki and lower yourself to the ground!"

What was he babbling about? She was in complete control! She was like a bird, free to soar the skies as though they were her own. Disregarding her friend's worries, she increased the flow and rose even higher, to the point where she was now above the trees' highest branches.

"Videl, stop! That's too dangerous!'

At that moment, the flow of ki stopped. Her limbs trembled from exertion, then flailed wildly as she felt her ki evaporate. _'_ _W-what's happening?'_ Once the last dredges of ki had disappeared, leaving nothing to keep her in the air, Videl's body plummeted towards the ground like a meteorite.

As she was falling, the crime fighter turned her body so she that she was looking up at the orange hue of dusk, and the setting sun out past the horizon. If she was going to die, then at least she wanted her last living view to be a pleasant one. Wordlessly, Videl cursed her overzealousness. She was so close… so… damn… close…

The last thought that passed through her head before her brittle human body impacted the hard earth was one of regret. A tear slipped down her cheek as she prepared for her inevitable doom…

Only for it to never come.

Instead, Videl felt something firm and strong, but not unpleasant, impact against the back of her knees and waist. Realising she had closed her eyes, she slowly opened them, and tearful blue met concerned black, as Gohan gazed down at her with worry etched across his handsome features.

Videl choked out a sob. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Gohan breathed out. "But please, Videl, don't ever scare me like that again."

"I won't," she mumbled, trying to regain her composure.

A few seconds passed as the two dark-haired teenagers stared into each other's eyes, before a smile cracked Videl's lips. "I did it," she chuckled weakly.

"Yeah, you did," he said softly, meeting her chuckle with a warm smile. "I'm proud of you."

"Thanks," she whispered back. "That means a lot coming from you."

Neither martial artist moved from where they were, their gazes firmly locked onto one another's. Seconds passed, although neither could tell how many.

Videl eventually came to her senses once she felt some blood rushing to her head, and immediately realised just how uncomfortable her position was… in Gohan's arms… while he held her bridal style. The crime fighter blushed. "Umm, Gohan… you can let go now."

The spiky-haired boy's eyes widened as he realised their relatively intimate positions. "Crap! Sorry!" With his panic almost tangible and impairing his common sense, Gohan quickly pulled back his arms, being too late to realise that his arms were the only things keeping Videl held afloat.

The girl's back impacted against the grass with a thud. A fall of that height was never going to wound her, especially taking into account some of the more serious injuries she'd sustained fighting crime. But that didn't mean it wasn't painful. And annoying.

"Damn it, Gohan! What the hell is wrong with you!?" she scolded.

The boy's hands comically slapped against his forehead. "I'm sorry, Videl!" he apologised profusely. "I don't know what came over me!" He bent down to her level and scanned over her worriedly. "Are you ok? Is anything broken?"

"I'm fine," she muttered grumpily. "It's going to take a lot more than that to hurt me. But seriously, be more careful next time!"

Before he could respond, the pair heard a hysteric fit of laughter a few metres off to the side. Turning their attention to the source, they were greeted by the sight of Erasa rolling on the grass, giggling uncontrollably. "Y-your f-f-faces! You guys should've s-s-seen your faces," she burst out tearfully.

Videl fixed her friend with her most furious glare. "Why didn't you say anything? For that matter, why didn't you stop us?" She brushed the grass out of her pigtails and grumbled angrily, "You have no idea how awkward that was!"

"Oh, but I do," Erasa giggled as a few tears slid down her cheeks. "That's why I didn't want to interrupt. Plus, that was adorable!"

Videl cursed the blonde under her breath and slapped aside Gohan's hand, which he was offering to her. She could stand up on her own. Once she was back on her feet, she scowled at her teacher. "Now what?"

Gohan buckled under her glare and nervously scratched the back of his head. "The next step is to rest," he told her warily. "It's getting dark, and you've expended far too much energy. Continuing would be seriously dangerous."

Videl was about to protest, but then she remembered her very recent brush with death. It wouldn't be fair to rebuke her friend's suggestions, not after he'd already helped her out so much, and especially not after she'd already made a fool of herself once by disobeying him. She sighed reservedly. "Well alright then. I'll take your word for it."

Gohan smiled. "Great. Now let's head back to my dad. There's something else I need to give you."

Videl's curiosity was piqued. The inquisitive part of her consciousness was screaming at her to question her friend on just what he was talking about, but she suppressed those urges. She was far too fatigued to attempt an argument.

The group of three walked over to the Goku, who was sitting glumly opposite Sharpner who, much to the teenagers' amusement, was still seated cross-legged on the ground with his eyes closed. The elder Son was poking a stick into the ground, looking bored out of his wits.

Gohan frowned. "I take it things aren't going so well?"

Goku shook his head. "He keeps falling asleep," he grumbled. "Every time he gets close to making any progress, he conks out. Eventually I decided to just let him sleep. He can try again another time."

"Reckon he has it in him?" Gohan questioned.

"I do," his father answered, throwing the stick away. "He definitely has the potential to learn how to use ki, but it's gonna take a while. He isn't as naturally gifted as Videl." Goku's lips then broke out into a grin. "Speaking of which, that was some performance, Videl. Great job!"

Said girl blushed at the praise from the accomplished martial artist. It made her feel giddy inside, and helped her further realise the magnitude of her achievement. And it was all thanks to Gohan's tutoring. She then felt an odd sensation well up in her chest, which she immediately brushed aside. _'_ _Must be the exhaustion.'_

"I guess we have to wake him up," Gohan remarked, scratching his cheek. "Any ideas?"

"I got this!" Erasa chirped.

The rest of the group watched as the blonde walked over to the sleeping teen. She then bent down to his level, cupped her hands in the form of a megaphone, and screamed into his ear, "Boo!"

The sight of Sharpner's eyes shooting open in fright, followed by him jumping up from them ground as though his backside was on fire, brought light chuckles to the onlookers.

Once the blond had sufficiently calmed down, and was able to analyse the situation, he glared at Erasa with a scowl. "That wasn't funny," he grumbled.

"Puh-lease," Erasa mocked, waving off his concerns. "If the situations were reversed, you would've been laughing your ass off."

Sharpner paused for a moment as though pondering her words, before shrugging in agreement. "True enough." His eyes then scanned over the group. "So, how'd we go?"

Videl rolled her eyes at the comment, and was about to speak up, but Gohan beat her to it. "Well, each of you made vastly different amounts of progress," he spoke in a professional tone. "Erasa gave up not that far into her meditation, citing martial arts as not being her cup of tea." Said blonde tilted her head to the side and gave a cheeky grin. "You, Sharpner, did ok, but every time you started to make decent progress you fell asleep," he deadpanned.

The muscular blond's shoulder's drooped sadly, shame visible on his features. "Well damn. No wonder time seemed to fly by."

"Not to worry though, you'll get it eventually," Gohan reassured with a smile.

At that Sharpner perked up and gave his friend a cocky grin. "Count on it. I'll do better next time. I'll also make sure to stock up on energy drinks beforehand so I won't fall asleep again."

Gohan sweatdropped and scratched the back of his head. "Whatever floats your boat. Anyway," he continued, "Videl's progress was by far the best. She managed to find her ki, and was actually able to take flight."

Sharpner's eyes bulged open. "Seriously?" He stared at Videl in awe, the girl finding the attention slightly disconcerting. "Awesome job. I knew you'd kick ass at this. I really gotta step up my game," he exclaimed, slamming a fist into his open palm. "Hey, how about a quick demonstration?"

Videl was about to agree, but Gohan was quick to step in. "Absolutely not," he said with finality. "Videl has used up a great deal of her ki today, and using any more could be dangerous. It's best to let her ki reserves recover."

Goku nodded his agreement. "Gohan's right. Using ki for the first time is pretty exhausting, since your reserves start off pretty small. If you try to channel ki with heavily depleted reserves, you run the risk of falling unconscious."

The three city teens visibly paled, Videl especially. That was the last thing she wanted.

"Ok… scratch that idea," Sharpner mumbled.

Gohan frowned at the downcast atmosphere. "On the bright side, in Videl's case all it'll take for her reserves to recover is a good night's rest," he said, trying to brighten the mood. "From tomorrow onwards, she'll be able to use her ki normally."

"How do I increase my ki reserves?" Videl couldn't help but ask.

"By strengthening your body and mind. Using your ki in gradually increasing amounts also helps increase your reserves," Gohan explained, a smile replacing his frown. "Which brings me to the next thing I wanted to show you guys."

The spiky-haired boy reached into his pocket and pulled out a capsule, which he threw onto the ground. When the smoke cleared, it revealed a gym bag.

Videl stared at the object curiously, trying to figure out just what she was supposed to use a gym bag for.

"What's this? You want us to go pump iron or something?" Sharpner enquired.

"Not exactly," Goku chuckled, taking over from his son. "What we're about to show you is the Turtle School style of training… or rather, the modern version of it, according to Gohan." He scratched the back of his head. "I wanted to use turtle shells, but Gohan told me that would look weird."

Videl's eyes widened. That's right, Goku had trained under the legendary Turtle Hermit, Muten Roshi. When she was a young girl, back before her father became the Strongest under the Heavens, she'd studied up on the various famous martial arts schools around the world. The Turtle School ranked up there among the best, being responsible for producing many famous martial artists who continually reached the latter rounds of the Tenkaichi Budokai. It also had an infamous rivalry with the Crane School, which served as the backdrop for the 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai, in which Goku lost to Tenshinhan after an incredible final round.

Videl would've loved to have watched videos of the old tournaments, but unfortunately they were much smaller affairs back in the day, and as a result weren't broadcast on TV. The only records of the old tournaments were in history books, stories told by those who were there and newspaper clippings from the time. The Tenkaichi Budokai only really became mainstream after it returned from a long hiatus with the 24th Budokai, which was won by her father.

None of the martial arts schools of old sent their fighters to participate, for some reason, and when Mr Satan defeated Cell and saved the world, the Satan School of martial arts shot into the spotlight. From that moment onwards, the Satan School was the only one the general public saw as relevant, and all the famous martial arts schools of legend passed into the annals of history, forgotten by all save for the most dedicated martial arts enthusiasts.

It was quite tragic in some regards. While Videl was happy that her father's style was taught all over the world, it did mean that a lot of martial arts history was lost. As such, she was stoked to finally get to experience one of the old, traditional styles first hand. At the very least, it would make for an interesting comparison.

"The main basis of the Turtle School style of training revolves around intense physical conditioning," Goku began to explain, having opened the gym bag and pulled out a blue wristband, which he displayed to the group. "This includes exercises such as delivering milk up mountains, swimming in shark-infested waters, and plowing the ground with your bare hands."

At the disbelieving looks of the three city dwelling teenagers, the elder Son chuckled. "All of this was done while wearing on your back turtle shells of ever increasing weight. But since Gohan told me that was a no go, we got the next best thing – weighted clothes!"

To demonstrate, Goku dropped the wristband he was holding, only for it to fall to the ground with an audible thud, raising a small cloud of dirt. When it cleared, the occupants of the clearing were able to spot a noticeable dent in the earth, right where the wristband had impacted upon the grass.

Videl, Sharpner and Erasa stared at the sight with slack-jawed expressions. The raven-haired crime fighter couldn't help but shake her head at the whole thing. _'_ _Such a simple concept, yet so effective… no wonder the Turtle School fighters always got so far in the Budokai. They wouldn't even need good technique if their physical conditioning was so exceptional they could just blitz the competition,'_ she mused.

"With this kind of training, you increase your strength, durability and speed," Goku continued, confirming Videl's beliefs. "You can hit harder, last longer, run faster and jump higher than most people you come up against. Heh, Krillin and I never even really learnt any techniques while studying under Muten Roshi for the first time. All our techniques were self-taught from sparring and observing others."

Videl was honestly gobsmacked. From what she could remember about the 21st Tenkaichi Budokai, 12-year-old Goku had reached the final, and 13-year-old Krillin had reached the semifinal; both boys defeating experienced martial artists several years their seniors.

To think she would undergo that same training made her body shiver in anticipation. Wait a minute… "Uhh, Goku, you're not going to make me deliver milk and swim with sharks, are you?" she enquired nervously."

The elder Son barked out a laugh. "Nah, you can get the same results doing more simple exercises," he replied, much to Videl's relief. "As long as your body is being weighed down, you'll get much stronger."

At that Gohan stepped forward and opened the gym bag further, inviting the others to have a look inside. Videl approached him eagerly and scanned over the contents.

The first thing she saw was several blue and red wristbands. Upon closer inspection, inscribed on the inside of the wristbands were numbers indicating how heavy they were, ranging from as low as 2.5 kilograms to as heavy as 25 kilograms.

Aside from the wristbands, there were tight black undershirts and singlets, larger white shirts, and boots that were almost exact replicas of the ones she always wore. Videl eyed Gohan with a curious gaze, causing him to chuckle nervously and scratch the back of his head.

"I had my first mentor make all these. I didn't know your exact size, so I, ahh, estimated," he mumbled sheepishly. "If they're too big or too small, let me know and I'll tell Piccolo to make them the right size."

Videl peered into the bag again and closely looked over the weighted clothes. To her surprise, Gohan's estimation of her size was more or less on point, give or take a few numbers. She didn't mind, though; she never really cared about looking fancy. As long as her clothes were big enough to hide what was necessary and allow full mobility, she was satisfied.

What she did care about, however, was the implication that Gohan was able to guess her size. That meant that he had most likely looked over her body at some point, possibly in great detail. Videl had to suppress a blush at that thought. A part of her wanted to scold him, but she decided to give him a break just this once. After all, if it wasn't for him, she wouldn't have learnt to fly.

That aside, something else came to mind. "This Piccolo guy, he's the one who threw you into a mountain, right?" she asked her friend, voicing her thoughts aloud. Gohan nodded slowly. "From what you've told me, he doesn't really sound like someone who's good at sowing."

Gohan let out a hearty laugh at her comment. "Piccolo doesn't sow. He has a technique that allows him to materialise clothes out of thin air," he remarked nonchalantly, as though it wasn't a big deal.

Videl gave him a blank stare. "You know what? I'm going to take your word for it, and leave it at that."

Gohan gave a light chuckle in response, before he turned to Sharpner. "If you want in on this, I can get Piccolo to make you some weighted clothes too," he said, scratching his cheek thoughtfully.

"Thanks man, I'd appreciate it," the blond responded. "In the meantime, I'll just make do with a couple of these wristbands, if that's ok with you, Videl?"

"Knock yourself out," she replied.

"Sweet!" Sharpner grinned as he pulled a blue wristband out of the bag. He whistled appreciatively as he juggled the small object in his hand, testing its weight. "These things are pretty neat. But still, I can't help but ask, how heavy are the clothes you guys wear?" he asked, referring to Gohan and Goku.

The two Sons shared a look, before Goku spoke up, "We stopped wearing weighted clothes when we stopped getting any real benefits from them," he commented casually, stroking his chin ponderingly. "But last I checked, I think we topped out at around 60 tonnes. Although that was a while back, so we can probably wear more now."

Videl really should've been used to it by now, but she still couldn't help but gape at Goku's admission. A quick glance to her sides showed that Sharpner and Erasa wore similar expressions, and she couldn't blame them. A number as high as 60 tonnes sounded so absurd, she almost couldn't believe it. Then again, the Sons had been pretty truthful ever since the training began, so she really couldn't find it in herself to doubt them.

"60 tonnes!? That's insane," Erasa breathed out. "You two can't be human!"

She might have just imagined it, but Videl could've sworn she saw the barest hint of panic flash through the Son men's eyes at Erasa's comment. She decided to file that observation away for later.

"Heh, you don't say," Gohan muttered nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Anyway guys, in regards to the weighted clothing, you should start off wearing close to the lowest amount of weight." At Videl and Sharpner's protesting glares he raised a hand. "Please, hear me out. While you guys wouldn't ordinarily have any problems lifting such low weights, note that there is a difference between lifting a certain amount of weight, and having that amount of weight spread out evenly over your entire body, making use of muscles that would initially be neglected. Plus, you're going to be wearing these weights at all times, save for when you shower or sleep. Because of that, it's best to start small and let your bodies get used to the gradual weight increases."

"But what about when I fight crime?" Videl asked. "I can't have these things slowing me down."

Gohan paused briefly, as though contemplating his answer. "Well, it would be really good training to have your weights on when you fight crime," he admitted. "Plus, I'll always be there to back you up as Saiyaman. And at the rate you're going to improve, before too long the crooks won't stand a ghost of a chance against you." At that Videl couldn't help the slight quirk of her lips. "But if you're still worried, I guess you can take off your wristbands."

Videl pondered her friend's answer. He did raise some good points, and it was true that he'd always be there as his alter ego should she ever need his help… as much as the thought still bugged her slightly. Eventually, she relented. "I guess that's fair."

Gohan smiled gratefully. "Good. Now, you can start wearing those weights from tomorrow morning onwards, considering how fatigued your body must be. Trust me, it's better this way." He then turned to his blond friend. "Sharpner, since you didn't really expend any energy today, you can start wearing your wristbands straight away. I'll have the rest of your weighted clothes ready tomorrow."

"Thanks bro, appreciate it," the blond said.

Videl grinned inwardly at how the musclehead missed the slight verbal jab that was aimed at him. Then again, she wasn't sure whether that was intentional on Gohan's part either.

Out of nowhere, a terrifying roar sounded throughout the clearing, causing the three city kids to jump up in shock. Once they regained their composure and took a few deep breaths, they glared at a sheepish looking Goku, who was scratching the back of his head with one hand and rubbing his stomach with the other.

"Man, I'm hungry. It's been…" He stared up at the darkening sky, only for his eyes to widen dramatically. "It's been almost four hours since I had lunch! I gotta get going!" He gave his son's three friends a wave and a smile. "Feel free to stay for dinner if you have the time. Later!"

With that the elder Son placed two fingers to his forehead and then, much to Videl's surprise, disappeared into thin air. After a few seconds of staring at the bare patch of grass upon which Goku had stood only moments before, the raven-haired girl turned to Gohan, who just gave her a shrug.

"My dad can teleport to any ki signature he locks on to," he informed the group simply. "He calls it Instantaneous Movement. I've been trying to get the hang of it for ages, but no luck on that front."

"Huh," was all Videl could say, not really sure what to make of this latest revelation.

"So anyway, how about it? You guys want to stay for dinner?" Gohan asked.

"I'm game," Sharpner commented with a grin.

"Count me in too," Erasa chirped.

It was then that Videl realised just how startlingly hungry she was. It took all her willpower to keep her stomach from rumbling. "I'm down for that. For some reason, I'm absolutely famished," she told her friends.

Gohan chuckled and led the way back to his house, beckoning for the others to follow him.

As the group set off, Videl couldn't help but reflect on how astoundingly productive this day had been. _'_ _To think, just over a week ago, I had no idea that something like ki existed, or that flying and shooting energy beams was possible,'_ she mused, staring at Gohan's broad back as he confidently strode through the forest. _'_ _I don't know if I'll ever be able to express in words just how grateful I am that you came into my life and decided to share your knowledge with me. It hasn't always been easy, and we've had our fair share of ups and downs, but I really am glad to have met you, Son Gohan.'_

* * *

 **Omake – The Curious Namekian**

"… and that's pretty much the situation," Gohan finished explaining, having just pocketed the capsule containing the weighted clothing Piccolo had made for him.

The Namekian, who was levitating in the air underneath a waterfall – his absolute mastery of ki having constructed a barrier which stemmed the fierce flow and protected his emerald skin from getting wet – had his eyes closed in silent contemplation. After a few moments he opened them and fixed his first student with a serious look. "Gohan, do you desire to mate with this female?"

Gohan nearly fell from his spot in the air. After a few seconds of his mouth opening and closing like that of a fish, his face turned a vicious shade of crimson. "What the hell are you talking about!?" he demanded.

Piccolo remained composed, not phased in the slightest by the demi-Saiyan's outburst. "I may not understand much about human mating rituals, but this is the only logical conclusion I can glean from your situation," he explained calmly. "You see potential in this female, and so you wish to train her in the art of ki manipulation. However, in doing so, you are also breeding a suitable female with whom you can procreate. Given the rapid growth in strength underwent by yourself, Goten and Trunks, even at an early age, the possible potential of a quarter-Saiyan child is quite frankly outstanding. Your species is all about self-preservation, after all, so this course of action seems very much within the realm of possibility, at least by my observation."

All throughout Piccolo's explanation, Gohan's face became progressively redder, to the point where it could very well be mistaken for a tomato. So shocked was he by his mentor's interpretation of the situation, that he didn't even have it in him to stop the Namekian's long-winded explanation. As such, all he could do was nod dumbly.

Once Piccolo was done, Gohan rubbed his brow wearily and took a deep breath. "Please, for my sake, never bring that up again," he pleaded genuinely, matching the Namekian's gaze with his own. "Human mating doesn't work like that. There are other… emotional stimuli involved, that I don't know enough about myself to talk about. Nor do I want to."

Piccolo nodded his head in understanding. "Very well, I shall drop the topic." A smirk then formed across his stoic features. "So, my student is taking on a student of his own. Geez, kid, you're making me feel old."

Having recovered his composure, Gohan scratched the back of his head. "You? Old? Aren't you only like five years older than me?" he asked with a raised brow.

Piccolo merely grunted in response, to which Gohan frowned. "Come to think of it, that's pretty weird," he remarked simply. "I've always thought of you as my weird, grumpy uncle, not someone old enough to be my brother."

At that comment, Piccolo's usually perfect ki control faltered, and the Namekian lurched forward from his spot in the air. Unfortunately for the green-skinned alien, that control of ki was the only thing preventing him from getting wet. With it gone, and the ki barrier having dissipated, Piccolo was submerged under the rushing water, his turban, cape and gi getting drenched.

"See ya Piccolo, thanks for the weighted clothes!" he heard Gohan call out from a distance, having flown away the moment the accident happened.

Due to his hasty exit, the demi-Saiyan never got the see the tiny quirk of his mentor's lips. "Grumpy uncle, huh? I can live with that."

* * *

 **Omake – The Birth of the Saiyabrats**

"So let me get this straight," Bulma began, crossing one leg over the other and taking a drag from her cigarette, "you want me to make a mini Saiyaman costume for Goten, so that he can fight crime in Satan City while you train Videl in ki manipulation?"

"Yep, that's pretty much it," Gohan confirmed with a chuckle.

Bulma gave the demi-Saiyan a blank stare. "Are you sure about this?"

"Of course I am. The little tyke can handle it," he said, smiling as he ruffled Goten's hair. The small Saiyan grinned widely and nodded, as if to reaffirm his brother's statement. "What could go wrong?"

Bulma gave Gohan another brief stare, and then shrugged. "If you say so. This shouldn't take too long, since I already have the base model for yours. All I have to do is alter the particles slightly, lowering the final size output- Trunks, is something wrong?"

Gohan looked over to the side, where his brother's best friend was standing and glaring glumly at the ground. "No," the lavender-haired Saiyan mumbled.

"Sure doesn't look like it," his mother smirked.

Trunks shuffled a bit where he stood and kicked the ground a few times. "That Saiyaman suit is lame."

Bulma paused for a few moments, then chuckled. "You want a suit of your own, don't you?" she teased.

"No!" Trunks shot back. He then shuffled his feet again. "Maybe. So what if I do!?" he challenged, a red tint on his cheeks.

Bulma barked out a laugh, which Gohan mirrored. "Nothing at all," she told her son. "I can whip up a suit for you, too. It'll just take a couple of minutes."

The older woman then proceeded to leave the room, but just as she reached the door, Trunks called out, "Wait! Make it blue, white and gold, like Dad's armour."

Bulma chuckled once more, and gave him a thumbs up.

"This is great!" Goten chirped, siding up next to Trunks and throwing an arm around his best friend's shoulders. "I can be the Great Saiyaboy, and you can be the Great Saiyakid!"

"That name's lame," the lavender-haired Saiyan muttered with a tiny smirk. "I'll be the Great Saiyaprince, like my dad."

"That name's cool too," Goten laughed. "The bad guys won't stand a chance!"

Suddenly out of nowhere, a shiver ran down Gohan's spine, shaking the demi-Saiyan down to his very core. _'_ _Why do I feel like I've just unleashed something utterly terrifying onto the world?'_

* * *

 **AN: Hi all. I'm a bit surprised I was able to get this chapter out so soon after the last one, but as I've recently discovered, a lack of internet access and a sudden surge of motivation can do wonders for a writer. As I stated in my previous AN, I'm currently visiting my family in a little country in Eastern Europe. When my last chapter was posted, I was staying at one grandmother's apartment, which has pretty crappy wifi, but wifi nonetheless. Since then, I've travelled the length of the country to visit my other grandmother... only for her apartment to not have wifi. So while I was unable to play Dokkan Battle, much to my dismay, I was able to write, and write I did. Now, just over a week later, after another torturous bus ride, I'm back to my first grandmother's apartment, and as a result am able to upload this chapter.**

 **I had a blast writing the training scene, as it's something I've been looking forward to ever since I first came up with the idea for this fic. I wasn't the most satisfied with how Videl's training has handled in canon, because Gohan didn't really teach her all that much. I hope to rectify that in this fic, while still keeping in realistic within the context of the series. After all, I feel as though Goku still being alive would change Gohan's approach to the whole thing, and I tried to show that in this chapter.**

 **I also decided to add two omakes at the end of the chapter. The Piccolo scene was originally intended to be a part of the actual chapter, but I couldn't really find a place to put it without disrupting the flow of the story, since this entire chapter is from Videl's POV. As for the Goten and Trunks stuff, I'm planning to do a few more omakes detailing their adventures/misadventures as Satan City's newest superheroes, which should be pretty fun.**

 **Lastly, thank you to everyone who left a review, as well as those who favourited and followed this fic. I noticed a couple of people comment that they didn't like that Gohan lied to Videl again in regards to being the Golden Warrior, and I can understand your frustration – believe me. But I'd like to ask you guys to trust me with that aspect of the story, as I've got something planned which I think will be a lot better than just Gohan telling Videl the truth.**

 **That aside, any further feedback would be much appreciated. Until next time!**


	7. The Kamehameha

**Rising to the Challenge – The Legacy of Son Gohan**

 **Chapter 7 – The Kamehameha**

Gohan couldn't help but chuckle as a visibly weary Videl trudged up the stairs to her seat in the classroom, shooting death glares at the poor souls who curiously glanced her way. Once she reached her destination, the raven-haired girl let out a deep sigh, and plopped down into her seat. The feeble chair creaked underneath the extra weight.

"Hanging in there, Videl?" Gohan asked teasingly.

The crime fighter levelled a half-hearted scowl at her spiky-haired friend, too tired to maintain her usual ferocity. "You knew this would happen."

Gohan let out a small laugh. "Hey, don't blame me, you're the one who asked me to train you," he said cheerfully, before stroking his chin ponderingly. "Come to think of it, you seem a bit more tired that I was expecting." A lightbulb went off in his head. "You ran to school, didn't you?"

Videl paused briefly, a flash of annoyance passing through her eyes. "So what if I did?" she challenged.

Gohan chuckled at her plight. "Videl, you were supposed to ease into exercise after your body got used to the weights, not jump headfirst into it," he chided gently. "I wasn't going to have you do any physical exercise until at least tomorrow."

The girl growled in frustration. "You could've told me that," she muttered.

"True, I could have," Gohan said, a small smile on his lips. "I should've known you'd try something like this. Heh, I bet you kept running even after your body was screaming at you to stop."

Videl looked away and engaged in a staring contest with her desk, not willing to give her friend a response. The demi-Saiyan merely laughed at the sight. Her silence was all the answer he needed.

It was then that the door to the classroom opened, and a slightly red-faced Sharpner entered, followed by a grinning Erasa. The pair made their way up the stairs and sat down in their usual seats.

Sharpner, whose features bore clear evidence of tiredness, looked a fair bit spryer than Videl, and he seemed to notice this too if the amused look he was giving her was any indication. "Let me guess, Videl wore herself out before she could get used to her weights?" he mocked good-naturedly.

Said girl fixed the muscular blond with a vicious glare that promised a great deal of pain if he persisted with that train of thought, causing him to pale vividly and gulp audibly before turning away. Videl's lips quirked into a tiny smirk.

Erasa moved over to sit beside the crime fighter and gently rubbed her back. "How you doing, girl?" she asked kindly.

"Every single muscle in my body feels like it's on fire," Videl ground out through gritted teeth, causing the blonde to wince. "Ok, that might have been a bit of an exaggeration. Most of the muscles in my body feel like they're on fire."

"That's not much better," Erasa mumbled worriedly.

Videl waved off her concerns and tried to put on a brave face. "I'll be fine eventually… I think, so long as I don't have to do anything physically strenuous in the next couple of hours."

The door to the classroom swung open and in walked Miss Vicious, a teacher who wasn't very popular among the student body due to her stern demeanour and mocking nature. The bespectacled woman, who had her brown hair tied back into a bun, and was clad in a sleek black skirt suit, made her way to the front of the class and scanned over her students with hawklike eyes.

"Get out your textbooks and turn to page 767," she ordered in a tone that brokered no argument. "You are to read through the chapter and attempt the questions at the end. Anyone not finished will have to do it for homework."

Ignoring the collective groan that sounded throughout the classroom, Gohan did as he was told, withdrawing from his bag a humongous, thick-covered book that he was positive could be used to beat a man to death, if not bore him to death first. With a slight frown, he placed the unpleasant slab of text on the table, the sheer weight of the object making an audible thud upon colliding with the graffitied wood.

A similar sound was heard throughout the rest of the classroom; the combined noise reverberating around the enclosed space making for a mildly humorous but ultimately depressing atmosphere.

Another, somewhat softer thud was heard from beside Gohan. The demi-Saiyan curiously glanced over at the source of the noise, only to see that Videl had slammed her head into the desk in almost tangible annoyance. He smiled sadly in her direction. _'Poor girl. As if this class wasn't hellish enough already,'_ he couldn't help but think.

* * *

The beeping of Videl's wristwatch provided a welcome distraction to all but the most arduous students and Miss Vicious herself, who simply glared in the raven-haired girl's direction.

"I'm here," Videl answered, clearly trying to keep the relief from showing on her face.

"Videl, we need your help!" came a panicked voice from the communicator. "An apartment building is on fire downtown, and there are people inside!"

The crime fighter's eyes widened. "Understood, I'll be right there."

She jumped up from her seat and rushed down the stairs, but not before whispering to Gohan, "Meet me on the roof in about a minute or so." The girl came to a stop at the door of the classroom and bowed apologetically to the teacher. "I'm sorry I couldn't stay until the end of your lesson, but duty calls."

Miss Vicious said nothing but nodded tersely as Videl ran out of the room. She then cast her hawk-like gaze onto the rest of the class and narrowed her eyes. Everyone present understood what that look meant and got back to work.

After about 60 seconds, Gohan hesitatingly raised his hand. "Umm, Miss Vicious," he called out nervously, getting the stern-faced teacher's attention. "Can I please go to the bathroom?"

Miss Vicious glared at him for a few moments before nodding her head. "Very well then, Gohan. The faculty is well aware of your bladder issues," she remarked casually. "Try not to take too long."

A blushing Gohan ignored the snickers from some of his peers and hurried down the stairs, bowing slightly to his teacher before rushing out the door and up to the roof. Once he arrived, he was surprised to see Videl sprawled out on the ground with her limbs splayed like a starfish, panting heavily.

"Ran down the stairs, then up them," she gasped out in between laboured breaths. "Can't move, need a minute to recover..."

Gohan would've ordinarily chuckled at the amusing sight, but there were an emergency happening in the city, and people's lives were at stake. "No time. I got you covered." He looked up at the sky and called out, "Kinto'un!"

Within seconds, the familiar golden cloud zoomed down from the atmosphere and came to a halt beside a gaping Videl. Gohan walked over to the raven-haired girl and gently picked her up amid muffled protests, then placed her on the fluffy vehicle. "There you go," he said with a kind smile.

A tint of scarlet shaded Videl's cheeks. "Thanks," she mumbled.

The demi-Saiyan let out a brief chuckle. "Alright Kinto'un, follow me," he ordered, pressing the button to transform into Saiyaman and lifting into the air, then shooting off towards where she saw the faint trails of smoke in the distance.

"Comfortable?" Gohan asked his friend as they flew above the buildings at blinding speed.

"The wind's a bit strong," Videl replied, her eyelids fluttering in the breeze and a slight wince in her tone. "But the cloud's great. Feels like I'm sitting on a really soft pillow. I can barely feel it, but it's there."

Gohan smiled. "That's Kinto'un for you. I'm sorry about the wind though. Once you get better at using your ki, you can erect a thin barrier around yourself while flying to protect against the wind." For a brief moment, the demi-Saiyan scolded himself for not offering to carry Videl himself so that he could shield her with his ki, but quickly came to his senses. _'She'd probably crush my balls into paste if I offered.'_ Despite that grisly thought, he couldn't help the slight flush of his face and the subsequent cheesy grin. _'I bet it'd feel nice to hold her, though.'_

"So this is the fabled Kinto'un," Videl commented, breaking Gohan from his embarrassingly pleasant thoughts. "If I remember correctly, Erasa said only those with a pure heart can ride it, yet you put me on here without hesitating," she added with a slight questioning tone.

Gohan nervously scratched the back of his helmet. "I knew you'd be able to ride Kinto'un without any issues," he stated confidently, scanning the area in front of him. In doing so, the boy missed the crimson flash of Videl's cheeks.

"It's just up ahead," he informed his friend, his tone now bearing a serious edge. "Let's go."

Gohan sped up slightly and descended to the ground, Kinto'un following suit. The pair of teenagers landed beside a surprised police chief, who was conversing animatedly with a fireman.

"Chief, what's the situation?" Videl questioned, having jumped off her fluffy ride, which rocketed off into the clouds. It was clear to Gohan that she'd recovered enough to be able to stand firmly on the ground, much to his relief.

The police chief's eyes shifted from Saiyaman to Videl a few times, the shock of their joint arrival easily visible on his pudgy, moustached features. "Not that long ago a fire spread from somewhere inside the apartment building, and now it's engulfed the whole building!" he explained worriedly.

Gohan's eyes scanned over the inferno, a frown adorning his face. The apartment building was quite large, reaching at least 20 stories high. The exterior was constructed from red brick, which wasn't very flammable and would keep the fire from spreading outside for a while. Unfortunately, that didn't bode well for the people inside the building. As if to prove his point, he heard several pained shrieks from inside the inflamed structure, causing his frown to deepen.

"Are there any casualties?" the demi-Saiyan asked the police chief, dreading the answer.

"It's hard to say," the chief informed sombrely. "The fire didn't start that long ago, and you guys came here pretty damn quickly." He swallowed thickly. "To make an educated guess, I'd say there are no casualties yet… but with things like this, you never know…"

Gohan nodded, a bit of hope returning to him. "No time to waste then. I'll be back," he assured. Before the chief could question him, the helmeted superhero sped into the blazing building.

Time seemed to slow as Gohan utilised the maximum amount of speed allowed by his base form. His surroundings passed by in a dizzying blur of red, brown and orange, but his extremely well trained perception and depth of field ensured his vision was clear as glass.

Gohan zoomed through the various rooms of the apartment building, completely unaffected by the roaring flames which lapped at the strengthened fabric of his costume, and grabbing any hapless denizen he came across. Once he had four people in his arms, two in each and one person on his back, the superhero flashed outside and deposited the rescued victims gently on the asphalt, inwardly apologising for the dizziness they would feel after travelling at such rapid speeds.

After safely depositing one group outside, Gohan rushed back into the burning building to repeat the process. Systematically making his way up every floor, the demi-Saiyan was treated to all sorts of sorrowful sights.

Some people were huddled inside cupboards, closets and cabinets, faces drenched in tears as they waited for their ends to come. It was not to be.

Other people were banging against windows, some of them contemplating jumping outside just to get away from the noxious fumes, high possibility of death be damned. It was a choice they wouldn't have to make.

One mother sat curled up on a bed, holding a crying child tightly to her chest as she prayed for whatever deity was listening to save her baby. Her prayers were answered, but by a mortal, not a god.

A little girl consoled her weeping younger brother in a bathroom, the only safe refuge in their apartment as the rest of it was set ablaze. Barely being able to keep her composure, she stayed strong for her sibling, constantly reassuring him that help would come. It did.

These images, and many others like them, burned deep into Gohan's conscious, spurring him on to even greater speeds. With gritted teeth and sweat trailing down his face from the heat, stinging his eyes in the process, the boy pushed through the flames and subsequent wreckage, driven by a single goal – to save everyone.

The blur that was Son Gohan was swift and comprehensive as he scoured the flaming structure in its entirety, tasking his ki sensing ability to capacity to search for even the most minuscule ki signatures. Not even someone's ant farm was left to burn.

Once he was 100% positive he had saved every single living being that had to be rescued, Gohan appeared outside the burning apartment building, right beside a slack-jawed police chief, the various fireman in the area mirroring his shocked expression.

"That should be everyone," he notified the stunned onlookers, taking a deep breath and wiping away some of the sweat staining his features with his cape.

"Son… I don't know what to say," the police chief mumbled, struggling to form words. "I've never seen anything like that in my 30 years of service."

"I told you to trust him, didn't I?" Videl remarked from beside the police officer, a relieved smile gracing her pretty features.

"That you did," said the chief, shaking his head in disbelieving amusement. "Boy, you superheroes are really something. First the mayor, and now this…"

Gohan smiled inwardly at the praise, satisfaction coursing through his being at being able to help out. He didn't save people for the gratification that came with it – it was nice, of course, but it wasn't the main reason. He saved people because he could. However, despite his accomplishment, the job wasn't done yet.

"What about the building?" the caped teenager asked. "Are you going to be able to put out the flames?"

This time it was the fireman that answered him. "It's doable, but it won't be easy, and it'll take a while," he grimly informed the superhero.

Gohan's lips pursed into an uncharacteristic frown. "Is anything in there salvageable?"

The fireman shook his head. "I highly doubt it. There's a hell of a lot of wood inside that building that's helped the flames spread quickly. TVs, tables, furniture… family photo albums, precious heirlooms… if they haven't been burned to cinders already, they're beyond use by now."

Gohan cursed inwardly. Had he known about this beforehand, he probably could've tried to salvage at least some of those treasured objects.

The demi-Saiyan then shook his head at his naïve musings. He didn't know enough about the people he saved to know what they considered precious. As long as their lives were no longer in danger, he could rest easy.

"Is everyone accounted for?" he asked the fireman, who nodded in response.

"We just did a headcount with the apartment manager. You saved everyone who was present, Mr Saiyaman," the public stated with a slight smile. "The people who were out at the time of the fire have been alerted, and are on their way back to meet up with their loved ones. You're a hero, Mr Saiyaman, although you don't need me to tell you that."

Said superhero let out a deep breath and gave the firefighter a smile of his own. "I'm glad to hear that." His expression then hardened. "I know a technique that can put out the whole fire, but it'll total the building in the process," he informed the people around him.

The police chief and fireman shared a look, while Videl raised an eyebrow at the revelation, her interest visibly piqued.

"I say go for it," the police chief said. "We have nothing to lose."

"I agree," added the fireman. "Like I said, nothing in there is salvageable anymore, and while we could put out the fire, it'll take at least several hours."

Gohan stared at the inferno and gave a resigned nod. "Very well then. You guys might want to stand back.

The two public servants scurried away from the proximity of the superhero, while Videl paid rapt attention to what he was doing. Gohan had expected this, and as such didn't really mind. If anything, hopefully she'd find some motivation from what he was about to demonstrate.

The demi-Saiyan shifted his left leg forward, his foot pointing straight ahead, while moving his right leg off to the side, with his right foot pointing in that direction. In this stance, both of his legs were positioned at a 90 degree angle. Gohan then lowered his body slightly, while cupping his hands, joined at the wrist, and placing them at his right hip.

"Kaaa meee…" His palms opened ever so slightly to compensate for the small ball of simmering white ki that had had formed. "Haaa meee…" More ki was summoned from his centre and forced into his cupped hands, where it was moulded into a spherical shape. The miniscule ball of ki already present between his hands grew to the size of a basketball, now pulsating with a dazzling amount of burning energy and shooting out rays as though it were a miniature sun. Gohan then thrust his cupped hands forward at the inflamed building. "HAAAA!"

From the ball of ki shot a cylindrical blue beam of searing hot energy that hurtled towards the devastating flames at blinding speed, and struck the lowest level of the apartment building with the force of a meteorite. Before it could drill a hole through the burning structure, Gohan expertly manoeuvred his hands upwards, and with it sent the Kamehameha spiralling through the roof of the edifice where upon it rocketed up into the atmosphere and out into space.

Vibrations emanating from the targeted structure ran along the ground, creating the effect of a miniature earthquake and sending a few stunned onlookers toppling to the gravel. The blazing fires in and around the red-bricked construction were quelled, giving birth to a billowing pillar of smoke that cloaked the entire apartment building in a haze of grey.

The stunned bystanders – ranging from Videl, to the police chief, to the firefighters, to the rescued civilians themselves – could only watch in awe as they waited for the smoke to dissipate to see just what was left of the once towering structure.

When the smoke finally did clear about half a minute later, those in the vicinity were treated to the sight of the flames from before having vanished completely, along with the former apartment building. Where the previously thriving dwelling once stood was a small hill of greying rubble and ash.

"Well, that was certainly a lot more effective than anything we could do," the fireman from before commented after having recovered his composure.

"Yes, it was certainly something," the police chief agreed, scratching his cheek.

"It certainly was, wasn't it, Saiyaman?" Videl chimed in, a strange, almost predatory gleam in her eyes.

Gohan suppressed a slight shiver at her expression, and chuckled nervously at the praise while scratching the back of his head. "Ahh, it was nothing. I just wish the building could've been saved," he said sombrely.

"Don't worry about it," the fireman assured, clapping the superhero comfortingly on the back. "If we'd done our part, the building would've had to be demolished anyway." He then grinned widely." You just saved the city from having to pay a construction company to do the deed."

"Well, at least something good came out of this," Gohan muttered with a shake of the head.

He then left the firefighter to his business and went over to stand next to Videl, who had just finished conversing with the police chief. The raven-haired girl smiled innocently at her friend. "You're going to teach me that move later," she stated cheerfully.

"I figured you'd say that when I saw the look you gave me," Gohan murmured before shrugging. "Well, alright… if you think you can handle it. After all, it took Muten Roshi 50 years to master that technique," he added teasingly.

A brief flash of doubt flickered through Videl's eyes before the petite crime fighter smirked confidently. "Challenge accepted."

Gohan let out a small laugh, before his face turned ashen-white and his eyes bulged open. "Shoot! I gotta get to class or Miss Vicious will kill me! You can fly back on Kinto'un, just call it down from the sky. Later!"

With that the demi-Saiyan rose into the air and shot off towards Orange Star High like a cannonball. Along the way, he transformed into a Super Saiyan to hasten his journey, and reverted back to his base form once he reached the roof of the building.

Gohan then changed into his school clothes, sped down the stairs, and burst into his classroom, causing all eyes to turn to him.

"Gohan, why were you absent for so long?" Miss Vicious sneered in a haughty tone. "And for that matter, why are you so wet?"

The demi-Saiyan cursed inwardly at having forgotten to clean all the sweat off his face, and scratched the back of his head nervously, straining his mind to come up with a reasonable excuse. "Umm, the sink in the bathroom broke and sprayed me with water…" he offered with a meek smile.

A round of laughter was heard throughout the classroom, after which Miss Vicious' sneer morphed into a scowl. "See me at recess so we can have a discussion about tardiness," she ordered sternly. "Now go back to your seat."

"Yes, Miss Vicious," Gohan said reservedly with a slight bow of the head.

He trudged up the stairs to his seat tiredly, again being met with snickers from some of his classmates, which he simply ignored. When he reached his destination, he slumped into the rough wooden chair and exhaled deeply.

A quiet snort was heard from Sharpner. "Sprayed by water in the bathroom? Really?" he questioned mockingly.

"Shut up," Gohan growled half-heartedly.

* * *

Later that afternoon the group of four friends had gathered once more in the wide clearing near the Son household. Erasa was leaning against a tree relaxing, while Sharpner and Videl stood before Gohan, waiting for their new martial arts teacher to give them instructions.

Gohan rubbed his chin thoughtfully as his eyes scanned over his two pupils. "Well Sharpner, you'll be doing the same thing as yesterday: meditating and trying to find your ki."

"Yay," Sharpner mumbled unenthusiastically, sitting cross-legged on the ground and closing his eyes.

Gohan nodded amusedly at the sight before his black eyes met Videl's blue ones. He gave her a small smile. "Videl, you just need to get the hang of flying," he told her warmly. "First I'll get you to levitate in the air a few times, taking a short break in between each set. If you manage that, and you're feeling up to it, I'll have you do a few laps in the air."

Videl shuffled her feet uncomfortably, feeling an immense strain from the simple act. She frowned heavily, not liking what she was about to say in the slightest. "Gohan…" she began wearily.

"Yes?" he asked, concern clear across his features.

"I'm not sure if I can train like this. My body is absolutely killing me," she said sadly, the mere admission causing an entirely new pain to surface.

"Oh, is that all?" Gohan remarked casually. "Here you go." He flicked her a tiny green bean.

The raven-haired girl caught the familiar morsel of food and stared at it dumbly for a few seconds, before fixing her spiky-haired friend with a positively savage glare. "You had one of these on you the whole time!?" she ground out through gritted teeth, popping the senzu bean into her mouth and swallowing it.

"Of course I did," Gohan admitted freely. "But if I'd given one to you in the morning, you'd never have learnt your lesson – don't overdo it in your training."

Videl stared at him disbelievingly for a few seconds before slipping off the weighted blue wristband adorning her left wrist and hurling it at her teacher.

Gohan merely chuckled and easily caught the threatening object, which he then handed back to his aggressor. "That wasn't very nice," he chided good-naturedly.

"You weren't in any danger," Videl retorted, shaking some feeling into her newly energised legs. With her stamina having recovered completely, she was eager to start training again. She remembered how wonderful it felt to float in the air using nothing but her own power, and was eager to embrace that feeling once more… and perhaps even take it one step further this time.

"Fair enough," Gohan said, an amused smile crossing his lips. "Now, since my dad isn't here today – he's off sparring with his… friend – I'm going to oversee both your trainings. After seeing what Videl's capable of yesterday, I'm confident she won't fly into Sharpner, or a tree, so we can share the same space," he explained, ignoring his raven-haired pupil's glare.

"Works for me," Sharpner chimed in from his meditative position, his eyes still shut. "Just so long as you guys don't distract me. There's a genius at work here."

"Yeah, and it isn't you," Videl mocked with a smirk.

Gohan chuckled lightly before any bickering broke out. "Don't worry Sharpner, we'll be a couple of metres away from you. I'll be hopping between both you and Videl to check your progress, so you won't be neglected." The muscular blond smirked at the news. "I also give Erasa permission to throw things at you if you're slacking off when I'm not looking." And with that admission the smirk dropped.

Videl walked a short distance away from Sharpner, a victorious grin on her face. _'Seems like Gohan's picking up on one of mine and Erasa's favourite pastimes, making fun of Sharpner,'_ she mused. _'Good for him. I know we'll make a normal guy out of him someday.'_

When she was far enough from Sharpner, girl took a deep breath and was about to summon her ki, but was stopped by Gohan's hand on her shoulder. "Wait up," he said firmly. "Don't be so hasty. There's still a couple of things I want to go over with you."

Videl turned her gaze downwards. "Sorry, Gohan. I'm just really eager to fly again," she admitted, a bit embarrassed by her overt hastiness.

"That's completely understandable," he said kindly. "But it's not good to rush this stuff. Remember what happened yesterday?"

Videl suppressed a shiver at the unpleasant memory. Her overzealousness had almost resulted in her brains getting splattered over the hard earth. "Don't remind me," she muttered morosely before shaking the reminder from her head. "What did you need to tell me."

Gohan smiled gratefully. "How we're going to do this is in sets. Let's start with three minutes hovering in the air, about a metre off the ground, followed by 30 seconds of rest. For the next set, I'll have you do the same, only this time you'll be two metres above the ground. For each set add one metre to your hovering distance. Once you reach five metres, for each subsequent set you'll be going down a metre instead of up," he informed. "Got all that?"

"Seems simple enough," Videl replied, eager to get back in the air. Even though the exercise did sound a bit boring and repetitive, she trusted Gohan's judgement, and knew this was a necessary step. That aside, she just loved the feeling of flying. "Wait, what about my weights?" she asked, referring to her wristbands, white shirt and boots.

"Keep them on," Gohan told her. "It'll make for a better workout, and you'll become more proficient manipulating your ki if your body's under duress while using it."

Videl nodded. That made sense. Still, she couldn't help the slight pang of fear that coursed through her body once her mind envisioned the same situation as yesterday, only this time Gohan wasn't able to catch her due to her body being weighed down.

As though sensing her doubts, the crime fighter's spiky-haired teacher gave her a warm smile and comfortingly patted her arm. "Hey, don't worry. I'll be there to intervene if anything goes wrong," he assured her.

At that Videl couldn't help the brief quirk of her lips. "Thanks Gohan. I know you will." She then took a deep breath. "Ok, I'm ready.'

Gohan stepped away from Videl to give her space, which she was thankful for. Closing her eyes, she located her centre and pushed the ki she'd found there through the soles of her feet, remembering to stay focused the entire time.

Videl opened her eyes once she felt the familiar wind pool around her legs, and suppressed a grin at the sight of her body slowly levitating upwards.

"Ok, stop there," Gohan called from his place on the ground beside her. "Stop the flow of ki to your feet and try to generate a small, but steady stream, just enough to keep you levitating in one spot. It might take a bit of trial and error."

Videl took a deep breath and halted the flow of ki through her legs. As it tapered out she felt her body shudder uncomfortably in the air. If she were to compare the feeling to anything, it'd be an airplane encountering turbulence. A bead of sweat rolled down her temple. _'Steady!'_ she told herself.

After a few seconds of experimenting with how much ki to generate in a steady, constant stream, Videl's erratic floating motions evened out, until she gently hovered in the air. She grinned triumphantly… only to feel herself being drawn to a ground as maintaining altitude became like engaging in a tug of war with her body. _'The weights!'_

"Don't panic," she heard Gohan say soothingly. "This is to be expected with weighted clothing, and will help you get the hang of flying quicker. Just increase the stream ever so slightly to compensate for the weight increase."

Videl took a deep breath and did as she was told. It was much easier to generate a steady stream of ki this time and, much like before, she felt her body stabilise itself and hover evenly in the air.

"Great job!" Gohan cheered. "Now slowly lower yourself down to the ground. The action is a lot like levitating upwards, but instead of flowing an ever-increasing amount of ki through your legs, you'll have to flow an ever-decreasing amount instead."

Videl nodded. That made sense, and it seemed like a simple enough task. With a deep breath, the crime fighter slowly lowered her body down to the ground, following Gohan's instructions to the letter. It was quite simple, she found, due to it pretty much being an exact reversal of what was required to float upwards.

When Videl's boots made contact with the grass, she inhaled and exhaled a few times as the slightest hints of fatigue made themselves known. As the girl wiped the budding sweatdrops off her brow, she grinned at her teacher and flashed him a victory sign.

"That was very well done," Gohan praised with a wide smile. "I should probably stop being so surprised at how quickly you're getting the hang of all this," he added as an afterthought while ponderingly stroking his chin. "After nine more sets of this, you'll be a pro!"

Videl's grin faltered ever so slightly. That's right, this was just the beginning. As much as she loved the freedom of flying, and how liberating it felt being up in the air, even she didn't think she could take 27 more minutes of this activity without getting bored.

"You just enjoy your 30 seconds of rest. I'm going to quickly check up on Sharpner," her teacher informed, leaving the raven-haired girl to her internal musings.

* * *

Videl's knees sunk to the ground upon finishing the final set of her exercise, the novice ki user heaving out a few laboured breaths. Her arms ached, her legs throbbed and her stamina was almost completely spent. However, not even her current state of exhaustion was enough to stop the welcoming feeling of elation coursing through her body.

"You did it!" Gohan chirped happily, sharing in her joy as he helpfully offered his hand.

Videl eagerly clasped it and was lifted to her feet as though she weighed nothing. Brushing off the grass and dirt staining her knees and shins, she faced her teacher with an eager look on her features. "What's next?"

"Next is a bit of an extended break," Gohan informed her. "As impressive as your performance was, you did waste quite a bit of energy, so we'll take about 15 minutes to relax before getting back to training."

"I'm game," Videl told him, her body screaming out for some recovery time.

"Come on, let's go get Sharpner and Erasa," Gohan informed his friend.

"How'd Sharpner go by the way?" Videl couldn't help but ask as they walked.

Gohan scratched the back of his head. "Well, he's doing quite a bit better than yesterday since he hasn't fallen asleep yet, but he still has a fair way to go. Truthfully, I'm surprised he's keeping at it," he admitted.

"That's Sharpner for you," Videl responded with a slight chuckle. "Dumb as an ox, and arrogant as hell, but if there's one thing he's dedicated towards, it's his training."

"I can see that," Gohan muttered with an amused shake of the head.

With the distance between the two groups being quite short, the dark-haired pair reached their two blonde friends rather quickly, and the taller of the two beckoned for everyone to take a seat around him on the grass as he pulled out a plastic container from his bag.

"What's in that?" Erasa asked.

"My mum decided to make some rice balls in case we got hungry training," Gohan answered.

"Neat! I'm famished!" Sharpner exclaimed.

Videl raised an eyebrow at the muscular blond. "From what? You didn't even do anything?" she teased.

Sharpner almost lurched forward from his spot on the ground. "So cold," he murmured, tracing a pattern in the grass with his index finger. "I can't ever catch a break…"

The other three laughed, and Gohan opened the container and placed it in the centre of the group. "Dig in, guys!"

Videl grabbed a rice ball and took a bite, resisting the urge to moan gleefully at the delectable taste. Chi-Chi's cooking was as fantastic as always. Despite the fact that she was strangely full for some reason, one does not simply refuse food made by Son Chi-Chi.

This brief moment of respite allowed her to reflect upon the day so far, as quite a lot had happened. The first thought that came to mind was of Gohan unleashing a tremendously powerful beam of energy and putting out the fire at the apartment building in Satan City.

Her curiosity piqued once more, Videl turned to her spiky-haired friend. "Say, Gohan, can you tell me a bit about that move you used to put out the fire today?" she enquired.

"Oh yeah," Sharpner chimed in, seemingly having recovered from his bout of glumness. "You guys mentioned something about that at school."

Gohan scratched the back of his head and gazed up as the sky contemplatively. "Well aright then, if that's what you guys want to hear. The technique I used is called the Kamehameha," he explained, eliciting a slight widening of the eyes from none other than Sharpner.

Videl quirked an eyebrow at the sight. "You've heard of it?"

"Vaguely… the name is familiar, I remember hearing it somewhere before…" the blond mused, rubbing the bridge of his nose as though deep in thought. "Ah, that's it! My dad was friends with a guy who used to go watch the Tenkaichi Budokai back in the olden days. When I was little, he'd tell me stories of the amazing fights he'd seen. They were so awesome they didn't sound real, almost like they were straight out of a comic book." He chuckled a bit at the memory before his expression turned sombre.

"That guy stopped coming around after Cell was defeated, for some reason, and we fell out of contact. But I do remember him telling me about the time a 12-year-old Son Goku shot a Kamehameha wave at Jackie Chun in the final of the 21st Tenkaichi Budokai. The announcer said it was the signature move of the Turtle School, and had taken Muten Roshi 50 years to master."

A gobsmacked expression adorned Videl's face throughout Sharpner's explanation. She remembered Gohan telling her about the Muten Roshi thing, but to hear that Goku had used it at a mere 12 years of age? That was seriously impressive… and somewhat frightening, if she were to be completely honest.

Gohan chuckled nervously. "Yeah, that sounds about right. My dad learnt the Kamehameha after only seeing it once, when Muten Roshi used it to put out a fire on the Ox King's castle on Mount Frypan." He then scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "That's where I got the idea from."

Videl stared blankly at her friend. She didn't know what was more startling: Goku's freakish talent in ki manipulation, or the fact that the Kamehameha wave had such a deep history around it.

"W-w-wait… Ox King?" Erasa muttered with a trembling finger. "You mean that monstrous tyrant who used to eat children and pillage villages?"

To the group's surprise, a fit of hysterical laughter was heard from Gohan at Erasa's statement. "Grandpa!? Eating children? Who the hell came up with this stuff?" He slammed his hand on the ground in an attempt to quell the tears forming in his eyes. "This is brilliant! I gotta tell Mum, she'd get a kick out of hearing this!"

Videl, Sharpner and Erasa simply stared at their spiky-haired friend in various degrees of shock, allowing his laughing fit to run its course.

It was Videl who found it in her to speak first. "The Ox King is your grandfather?" she breathed out disbelievingly.

"Sure is," Gohan confirmed, wiping his eyes one last time and facing the group with a grin. "And I can tell you that he never ate any children. He might've done some pretty bad stuff back in the day, but that was only to protect his treasure. Muten Roshi set him straight though. Grandpa's the nicest guy ever. He always brought me all sorts of presents when I was a kid, and now he's doing the same for Goten."

"Huh," a stunned Videl said.

"Your family is seriously weird," Sharpner muttered with a shake of the head.

"Well, if he's related to Gohan, he can't be that bad," Erasa chirped, apparently having completely gotten over her earlier fear. "Ooh! If he's a king, that must make you a prince! Prince Gohan! Has a nice ring to it, don't ya think?"

Gohan scratched the back of his head meekly. "Yeah… please don't call me that. That's more Vegeta's thing," he mumbled under his breath.

Videl shook her head in an attempt to clear it of the sudden barrage of revelations. As inquisitive as she was, there was only so much information a girl could take. Putting the concept of Gohan's newly revealed nobility to the side, she focused on the one tidbit of information that interested her the most. "Can you show me the Kamehameha again? I want to try it."

Gohan stared blankly at Videl for a few moments, then nodded. "Alright then. "He stood up and moved a few metres away from the entranced group until he stood by the edge of the clearing.

Gohan shifted his left leg forward and his right leg to the side, assuming the same stance Videl had seen earlier in the day. He then lowered his body a tad and cupped his hands at his right hip. "First you create the initial ki ball, then pour even more ki into it, moulding it and shaping it into a coalescing sphere of energy. Once you have that, you simply direct it forward in a continuous stream," he explained. "Watch closely."

Gohan's gaze then hardened and his eyes narrowed "Kaaameee haaameee…" Videl watched captivatingly as a small ball of ki formed in between her teacher's palms, then bulged to the size of a basketball. Air shimmered around the pulsating energy, as though it were disrupting time and space. Illuminating rays of sparkling white burst from the spaces in between Gohan's fingers… and then he thrust his hands forward. "HAAAA!"

For the second time that day, a stunned Videl watched as a devastating blue beam of pure destruction shot out of her friend's cupped hands. The Kamehameha rocketed around the edge of the clearing before Gohan directed it upwards with a flick of his hands, sending the cylindrical pillar of ki shooting into space.

Sharpner and Erasa, who were seeing the Kamehameha for the first time, had identical slack-jawed expressions on their faces. Neither was able to utter even a single syllable.

Videl stood up from where she was seated and walked over to Gohan. "My turn."

Gohan cast his gaze over her, slight concern visible on his handsome features. "You're still fatigued," he stated.

The raven-haired girl shook her head. "I can handle this. Besides, I just want to try."

Gohan said nothing for a few seconds, then conceded with a shrug. "Ok." He then moved right into Videl's path and planted his feet firmly in the ground. "Use me as a target."

At her disbelieving stare, he chuckled. "Trust me, I can handle it."

Videl scowled inwardly, taking his statement as a jab to her pride. Outwardly though, she smirked viciously. "I'm going to wipe that smug grin off your face, Gohan."

Said boy's grin merely widened further. "Try it."

Videl shifted her lower limbs, left leg forward and right leg to the side, just like she'd seen Gohan do. Her feet pointed outwards in the direction her knees were facing. She inhaled, then exhaled audibly, and lowered her waist downwards ever so slightly, similarly to a horse riding stance. Cupped hands moved to her right hip and opened up. Her heartbeat quickened.

"Kameee hameee…" Videl poured whatever ki she could muster into a ball in between her palms and attempted to shape it into a sphere, immediately feeling the familiar strain of fatigue. All the strength evaporated from her arms, but she still thrust her hands forward in an attempt to salvage something. "HA!"

From Videl's cupped hands burst a cylindrical sphere of energy that was the exact size and circumference of a lead pencil. It travelled through the air for about 30 centimetres before dissipating into nothingness with a poof.

A sweat-drenched Videl dropped to her knees and planted her hands firmly on the ground. The crime fighter's raven tresses clung to her sticky forehead and she panted erratically, her entire body shuddering from a sudden bout of exhaustion.

A concerned Gohan knelt down beside her and wiped the sweat staining her brow with a handkerchief, gently running his hand down her back.

Videl was too ashamed to meet his worried gaze. "That was pathetic," she whispered meekly.

"No, it wasn't," Gohan stated. "It was great for a first try. You even managed to shape the ki into a proper form… you just need to build up your reserves and work on your control a bit. You'll get this eventually, but for a second day novice, it was an excellent effort."

"But… your dad…" Videl murmured, only for Gohan to wave off her comparisons.

"My dad's a freakish prodigy whose grandpa gave him specialised training since he first learned to walk," he remarked simply. "Heck, it took Muten Roshi 50 years to master the Kamehameha, and he's a world famous martial arts master. With how much promise you've shown, you could learn it in a fraction of that time."

A small smile stretched across Videl's lips. "I'll get this…"

"I know you will," Gohan agreed, returning her smile with one of his own. "Now come on, let's go back to the others."

One the duo reached their blonde friends, Erasa immediately wrapped Videl in a soothing hug, and though she wouldn't admit it, the raven-haired girl was thankful for the embrace.

"If it makes you feel any better, you're still like 10 steps ahead of me," Sharpner commented self-deprecatingly. "And at the rate you're going, soon you might be 20 steps ahead."

Videl broke free from Erasa's arms and chuckled lightly at the muscular blond's comments, which did actually cheer up a bit. She walked over to Sharpner and lightly punched him in the arm. "Well you better hurry and catch up, unless you actually want me to leave your ass in the dust."

"I'll get there," he remarked with a cocky smirk. "I'm awesome like that."

Videl chose not to respond, and glanced over at Gohan who was watching over the proceedings with a cheerful smile. "I'm ready to start training again," she firmly told her teacher, who raised an eyebrow at the statement.

"But you're exhausted, and your ki reserves are almost depleted," he observed.

Videl shrugged off his concern. "Just give me one of those magic beans and I'll be good to go."

Gohan frowned. "You know, there's a limited supply of senzu beans, and they're usually saved for emergencies," he explained. "I don't think Korin would be happy if he knew I was handing them out like candy. Plus, aside from having healing properties, just one is supposed to leave you feeling full for 10 whole days."

"So that's where that feeling came from," Videl muttered before shaking her head. "So what? It's not like this Korin guy will ever find out."

Gohan shook his head with an amused grin. "You don't know Korin like I do," he chuckled. "Then again, we haven't seriously needed to use senzu beans in seven years. I'm sure Korin has amassed quite a stockpile by now. Then there's that pot full of senzus he had when my dad was a kid… where the hell did that disappear to?" he muttered to himself.

Videl watched Gohan's musings with a humoured grin. Her friend had so many fascinating stories and knew so many weird and interesting sounding people, who she hoped she'd get the chance to meet someday. Before that, though, the crime fighter still had to get her question answered. "Well, are you going to give me a bean or not?" she asked once more.

After a moment of deliberation, Gohan shook his head. "I'm sorry, Videl, your body needs time to recover naturally. You'll be good to train again tomorrow," he assured.

The girl frowned at the answer. She understood where her teacher was coming from, but she still didn't like it. While she did improve her flying a fair bit, other than that she didn't really accomplish anything. And she failed utterly at trying to shoot a ki blast… even if it was one well beyond her current capabilities. If she could muster the energy to shoot just one proper ki blast, she'd be satisfied. "Gohan…" she began warily.

"Yes, Videl?" the boy enquired with a concerned furrowing of his brows.

"I want to try shooting just one normal ki blast. I feel like I can do it- no, I know I can do it. Is there a way to get enough ki to attempt just that much?" she pleaded, hope reflected in her cerulean orbs.

Gohan frowned deeply at her request. A mixture of emotions flashed across his handsome features – the boy was clearly conflicted, from what Videl could see. He sighed audibly. "It… it's hard to say no to you when you look at me like that," he mumbled nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Alright, fine. I can transfer just a tiny bit of my ki to you. It should be enough for one ki blast."

At her wide grin Gohan raised a hand in warning. "However, know that I've never done something like this before. Theoretically, it should work in practice, but only if the transferred ki doesn't exceed the reserves your body is capable of storing. I don't even want to know what'll happen if that's the case. My… my ki reserves are a lot larger than yours," he admitted before exhaling deeply. "I'll need to be extremely careful and concise with the amount I'm transferring. I'm sure I can do it, but I don't want to put you in any unnecessary danger. I'd rather you not do this, Videl, but I'm prepared to go through with it if you want. The choice is yours."

Videl pondered this for a few moments. She didn't know even a fraction as much about ki as Gohan, and while the idea sounded fine to her, if he was concerned… she shook her head at those thoughts. One didn't get anywhere in life without taking risks. Besides, Gohan had not yet failed her with his training. She trusted him. "I want to do it."

Gohan sighed audibly. "I knew you'd say that," he muttered with a wry chuckle. "Ok, I'll help you out." He walked up to her and stared deeply into her bright blue eyes. An odd feeling coursed through Videl's chest at the intensity of the look her spiky-haired friend was giving her. "Hold out your left hand."

She did as he asked without hesitation. Gohan met her offered left hand with his right, and intertwined his fingers with hers. The boy's digits were a lot larger than her own, but they meshed with hers like matching pieces of a puzzle. His hands were rough and calloused, but warm, and pleasant to the touch. Videl's mind briefly flashed to the moment Gohan comfortingly held her hand back in the pterodactyl cave. Her heartbeat quickened, and the raven-haired girl felt the strong urge to blush. It took all of her willpower to suppress the crimson tinting of her cheeks.

"Remember how it felt to channel ki into the Kamehameha," Gohan breathed out softly, his gaze having never left hers. "The same principle applies to a regular ki blast, but on a much smaller scale. Channel only a miniscule amount of ki into your right hand; as much as you need to mould the coalescing energy into a sphere the size of a tennis ball, and force it out towards your envisioned target. This time, aim for one of the trees at the edge of the clearing."

Videl nodded, having paid rapt attention to her teacher's instructions. She took a deep breath. "I'm ready."

Gohan closed his eyes. Moments later, Videl felt a rush of energy enter her body. She felt the foreign ki race through her arm, causing the hairs along the travelled path to stand on end. The coursing energy was not unpleasant, however. It was warm, much like Gohan's touch, and invigorating, too.

The foreign ki quickly reached her centre, and instantly melded with her own.

For a fraction of a second, a fierce chill assaulted Videl's body, and the raven-haired girl felt as though she had been submerged in icy cold water. Her heart stopped.

The chill disappeared as quickly as it came, and was replaced with a sudden searing warmth the likes of which Videl had never encountered before, as her stamina was completely restored. Her heart beat once more.

Ki shot out from her centre towards every pore in her body – an unfamiliar ki, that felt much like hers, but was noticeably different. It was strange, and magnitudes beyond what Videl had ever felt from her own. But it was not painful, or unpleasant, and not entirely untameable.

A pulsating white aura sprang to life around the crime fighter's petite body, bathing her in a cloak of invisible flames. Her clothes fluttered vividly in the powerful breeze blowing around her form, and her hairbands had come undone, freeing her raven locks from their confines and leaving them to flap wildly in the wind.

It was a power greater than anything Videl had ever felt, and it was hers to control.

With that thought in mind, she held her right hand out towards one of the trees in the distance, and channelled the stimulating ki illuminating her body into her palm. Before it could escape she willed it to a halt, and envisioned herself holding a tennis ball.

The ki emanating in her palm was shaped into a small sphere of pulsating white energy, and then fired into the distance, shooting towards its target like a cannonball. It impacted against the bark with a bang reminiscent of an exploding grenade, forming a grey cloud of smoke.

The four teenagers in the clearing stared intently at the destruction, eagerly waiting for the smoke to dissipate so that they could see the aftermath. Before too long the smoke did clear, and the group was treated to the sight of an almost perfectly round indentation in the trunk of the tree, that went straight through to the other side. The bark around the tennis ball-sized hole was visibly charred from the post-impact explosion.

Sharpner whistled appreciatively at the sight. "Nice!"

Videl merely gaped at the destruction, the white aura surrounding her having evaporated the moment she launched her attack. "I… I did that?" she asked no one in particular, not managing to fully come to terms with her feat.

Gohan scratched the back of his head and chuckled amusedly. "Well Videl, you've now gained an affinity for shooting ki blasts. Next time you try firing one on your own, you should have a much easier time," he informed. "You just need to watch your power output so as to not exceed your current reserves, especially if you plan on shooting a few blasts in a short space of time. The blast you just created was small, but quite condensed, and had a fair bit of power."

Videl nodded at her teacher's explanation. She would certainly keep it in mind. "What can I do to improve my ki blasts in general?" she enquired.

Gohan stroked his chin contemplatively. "Quite a few things, actually. The most enjoyable activity would be target practice using rocks to improve your accuracy." Videl perked up at that, certainly liking the idea of blowing more stuff up. "Aside from that, you can practice shape manipulation by altering the size and density of your ki blasts. Heh, in addition to continuing your flying lessons, you've got a fair bit of training to get through."

Try as she might, Videl couldn't suppress the enormous grin that spread across her lips. She'd already felt a supreme amount of accomplishment at how much she'd already achieved, but to find out there was still so much more she was yet to learn… she was almost salivating at the thought.

"Ahh, man, I actually feel kinda inadequate hearing you say all that," Sharpner muttered meekly. "Here you are doing all this awesome stuff, and I'm still stuck trying to find my ki…" he trailed off.

"Oh Sharp, I thought you'd be used to feeling inadequate by now, especially given your current company," Erasa chirped from beside him, gently patting the muscular blond's shoulder.

"So cold…" a downcast Sharpner mumbled. "What did someone as awesome as me ever do to deserve all this?"

"And there's your answer," his fellow blonde replied.

Videl barked out a laugh at her friends' interactions. _'This is the good life,'_ she mused merrily. _'Four friends just chilling out in nature, enjoying each other's company, and engaging in some kickass training. I hope things never change.'_

* * *

 **Omake – The Twin Terrors Hit the Town**

High up above the sprawling metropolis that was Satan City, two pintsized figures clad in unusual garb soared joyfully through the cloudless blue skies, their keen eyes scanning the bustling city below for any trouble.

These two children, who carried within them the blood of the extinct warrior race, the Saiyans, were tasked as the temporary protectors of the ever lively Satan City, due to the metropolis' usual protectors being preoccupied with specialised training.

"Aren't these costumes great, Trunks?" a giddy Goten exclaimed, admiring his green, black and red outfit, an exact replica of his older brother's Saiyaman costume, only tailored to fit his smaller frame.

The little demi-Saiyan's lavender-haired friend snorted disinterestedly in response, but couldn't help but cast an admiring look over his own outfit. Trunks' suit consisted of a dark blue bodysuit, and a white tunic with a golden trim, modelled after Vegeta's Saiyan armour. Atop his head was a similar helmet to Goten's, only it was gold as opposed to orange, and the visor was red instead of black. Completing the costume was a red cape, much like the one he'd heard his father wore as a child.

The two demi-Saiyans glided casually through the sky before a commotion on the roads below caught their attention.

"Let's go check it out," Trunks suggested.

The troublesome pair descended in altitude until they were hovering above the hubbub.

"Ooh! A car chase! Like in the movies!" Goten chirped cheerfully.

"No, Goten, I'm pretty sure this is far more serious," Trunks deadpanned, acutely observing the situation.

A heavily armoured black truck was ploughing through traffic on a highway, knocking away cars left and right like a battering ram. Some hapless drivers swerved to avoid the onrushing instrument of carnage, but in doing so ended up colliding with lampposts, buildings and other cars. It was absolute chaos.

"Where are the cops?" Trunks couldn't help but mutter, taking note of the fact that no police cars were giving chase.

"Maybe they went to buy donuts?" Goten offered. "I saw it happen on TV once."

"You know what? That wouldn't surprise me," Trunks replied in an amused manner.

The pair watched the armoured vehicle knock away a few more cars before the younger of the two children spoke up, "Are we gonna go beat up the bad guys? I don't like seeing innocent people get hurt," he pouted.

"Might as well," his older friend responded, cracking his knuckles eagerly. "These guys are annoying me, too."

The pair of superpowered children flared their auras and flashed from their spots in the sky, reappearing further down the highway, right in the path of the rampaging truck. A cry of, "It's Saiyaman! Hit the brakes!" was heard from inside, before the black vehicle skidded to a stop, its tires screeching against the gravel.

After a few seconds the doors of the armoured vehicle opened, and out poured a dozen of the most hideous men the two demi-Saiyans had ever laid eyes upon. Crooked and rotting teeth, broken noses, ghastly scars, ridiculous tattoos, and piercings where one should never be pierced were all on display. Each brutish crook was clad almost entirely in body armour, and adorned with all manner of automatic weapons.

Trunks smirked cockily. "Who let the travelling freak show out of the circus?" he taunted.

One of the criminals, a balding man with a hooked nose who was missing most of his teeth, scowled at the insult and glared at one of his partners. "I stopped the truck coz you said Saiyaman was in front of us, but it's just two runts. What the shit?"

"Don't blame me. I saw the costume and thought it was him," said partner grunted grumpily.

Goten jogged on the spot, waved his arms in a circular motion, then flipped onto his head and spun around like a top before jumping back to his feet and pointing at the flabbergasted crooks. "I'm the Great Saiyaboy, and you bad guys are under arrest!" he exclaimed, trying to deepen his voice as much as possible.

A few quick seconds passed in which the stunned felons gaped at the boy, before they all doubled over and burst out into fits of hysterical laughter.

"His poses are even crappier than Saiyaman's!" one of the brutish men cried out, repeatedly slamming his hand against the road.

"I know, right?" another agreed, wiping tears of glee from his eyes. "I didn't think it was possible to look stupider than that caped jackass, but this kid takes the cake!"

Goten's lower lip quivered as he took stock of all the frenetic men laughing at him. He glanced over at his best friend, who had merely slapped a palm against his helmeted forehead and was shaking his head. "Seriously bro, that was super lame."

One of the crooks heard him, as he immediately called out, "Being lame must come with the costume!"

Goten's lip stopped quivering, and his frown morphed into a scowl, eyes narrowing dangerously behind his visor. With a snarl, the costumed demi-Saiyan sprinted up to the laughing criminal and angrily pointed a finger at the armoured man. "Don't make fun of my big brother!" he shouted, swinging his right leg back and landing a vicious kick right into the hideous crook's shin.

With an anguished cry, the wounded man's legs swung backwards from the force of the blow, flipping his body forward and causing him to plant face-first into the cement, evidently knocked unconscious.

"Shit! These kids are dangerous. Cap 'em, boys!" a startled felon ordered.

A brutal cacophony of gunfire was heard from atop the highway as the group of criminals unloaded their entire arsenal on the two costumed demi-Saiyans. Assault rifles, submachine guns and even a shotgun were emptied as the crooks tried to riddle the pair of children full of holes. After over a minute of repeated firing, the sound of empty clicking was heard, as the armed individuals had run out of ammunition.

"Hey Trunks, what was that?" a curious and completely unharmed Goten enquired, his eyes scanning over the ground around him, which was littered with dented bullets.

"I believe they just tried to shoot us, Goten," Trunks answered casually.

The younger demi-Saiyan's face scrunched up in deep thought and he scratched the back of his helmet. "But aren't guns supposed to hurt?"

Trunks shrugged. "I dunno. All I know is you're supposed to catch their bullets. It looks cooler that way." With that statement, the lavender-haired child held out a clenched fist and opened it, letting a handful of bullets clatter onto the road.

"Oh," was all Goten said. He looked back over at the criminals and was stunned to see each of them had thrown away their weapons and dropped to the floor, heads bowed to the ground. "Uhh, what are you bad guys doing?"

"We surrender," one of the submissive men announced. "We don't want none of what you guys are gonna do."

"Damn it!" Trunks cursed as he kicked the ground. "I didn't even get to punch anyone."

It was then that the two children heard the ringing of sirens, and within seconds four police cars skidded onto the scene, after which several officers exited the vehicles.

"Well I'll be damned," one of the policemen exclaimed. "Looks like these two little tykes did our job for us."

"And just where were you?" an irate Trunks demanded, pointing at the police officer who had spoken to emphasise his frustration.

A bead of sweat trailed down the policeman's temple. "Our… uhh… tires popped on the way here, and we had to change them," he answered meekly.

Trunks' eyes narrowed. "All of you? At the exact same time?" he growled.

The now visibly sweat-drenched police officer nodded vigorously, an action mirrored by his peers who stood behind him.

Trunks sighed and shook his head. "You guys are seriously pathetic, needing a pair of kids to do your job for you. Get your heads out of your asses and shape up," he scolded before adding, "and stop eating so many donuts!"

The costumed child then took off into the sky and beckoned for his best friend to follow him. Goten slowly levitated into the air and waved cheerfully at both the gobsmacked police officers and the subdued criminals. "See ya later!" he chirped before speeding off after Trunks.

"You know what, boys?" the police officer who had spoken to the children said once they were out of earshot. "I think it's time we whip ourselves back into shape. Being shown up by kids is actually kinda embarrassing."

A collective groan rang out from behind him. "Do we have to cut back on the donuts, too?" one of the policeman's panicked partners asked worriedly, only for the first police officer to shake his head.

"Not a chance," he reassured firmly, the statement being met with a chorus of cheers.

Up in the sky, a still grumbling Trunks glared over at a grinning Goten. "If it wasn't for your stupid dancing provoking them, I might've had a chance to actually beat some of those guys up," he ground out.

Goten turned to his friend and gasped. "My dancing isn't stupid!" he protested. "It's super cool, like my big brother's!"

Trunks snorted. "More like super crappy."

This statement caused the younger of the two children to gasp yet again and point at his older friend with a wide open mouth.

"What?" Trunks demanded.

"You said a bad word," Goten exclaimed with wide eyes.

Trunks paused briefly, then levelled a smirk at the spiky-haired demi-Saiyan. "So what if I did?"

"I'm… I'm…" Goten stammered before a lightbulb went off in his head. "I'm going to tell Miss Bulma!" he taunted in a singsong voice.

Now it was Trunks' turn to gasp. "You wouldn't!" he gaped.

Goten merely gave him a cheeky grin in response, after which white aura sprang to life around his small form, which then rocketed off towards Capsule Corporation.

"Goten, wait!" Trunks cried out. "Don't tell my mum, she'll make me train in the Gravity Room with Dad!" Panicked sweatdrops streamed down his face as a matching white aura burst into existence around him, and he hurtled after his friend. "Your dance poses aren't crappy! They're super cool! Come back!"

* * *

 **AN: And here's chapter 7! I had a blast writing the post-chapter omake, which turned out to be a fair bit longer than I initially expected, but I liked it too much to cut it down, so it is what it is. Hope you all find it as enjoyable to read as it was to write. Expect more whacky escapades featuring Satan City's two newest superheroes.**

 **This will be the last in-depth training chapter for a while. There's only so much I can write about the intricate details of ki manipulation before it gets boring, and I don't want to make my chapters too repetitive either. The next chapter will return to the more… traditional elements of Dragon Ball, so make of that what you will.**

 **As always, thanks so much to everyone who favourited, followed and reviewed this fic, with a special thanks to the latter category. You guys are seriously awesome. Any further feedback will be much appreciated.**

 **Until next time!**


	8. The Hunt for the Dragon Balls

**Rising to the Challenge – The Legacy of Son Gohan**

 **Chapter 8 – The Hunt for the Dragon Balls**

Fierce bolts of lightning flashed through the night sky above a crumbling, decaying city that wasn't marked on any map, nor christened with any name. The rumbling of thunder reverberated through the atmosphere, the vicious lightning making the sky its playground.

All in all, it made for a dark, depressing atmosphere; a description that none of the scarce occupants of the near-destroyed city would object against.

Among the broken down buildings stood a tiny grey structure that was more well-kept than most. Inside the building was a solitary room, small, stuffy and occupied by four figures.

Three of these figures sat in seiza on the hard concrete floor, as there was no furniture on that side of the room. The other figure sat opposite this trio, behind a large white curtain that gave shape to their short, squarish silhouette. It appeared to be sitting in some sort of chair, but the three other occupants of the humid room couldn't be certain of that fact.

It was quite cramped in the room, the only sources of light being the sporadic flashes of lightning that could be seen outside the two tiny windows on either side of the space, and the two candles placed before opposite ends of the curtain.

"These Dragon Balls you speak of pique my curiosity," rumbled the silhouetted person in a nasally voice. "In fact, if I remember correctly, it was the Dragon Balls that my… previous employers were searching for, before their organisation was destroyed. I can see why they would be worth collecting."

The three individuals on the other side of the curtain shared wary looks before the one in the centre gulped and withdrew a round object from his green and black tunic, and held it out towards the hidden being with a trembling hand. The object was a small, sleek and shiny orange ball with two red stars in the centre. "This is one of the Dragon Balls," the short, blue-skinned male spoke. "This one stays with us… for security purposes, until you find the others."

The concealed figure barked out a booming laugh, sending shivers coursing through the spines of the others. "Your wariness is admirable, but rest assured, I am the utmost professional when I work… so long as I get my payment, of course," it spoke in what sounded like an amused, but nonetheless dangerous tone. "You must be well aware of my service record, if you took the time to seek me out and offer me such an… exorbitant amount of money."

The figure beside the blue-skinned being who had spoken before, an anthropomorphic dog in a blue ninja outfit with a katana strapped to his back, let out a forced, nervous chuckle. "Oh, of course. We didn't mean any disrespect," he uttered meekly. "It's just… we've been burned by our allies before, and we just wanted to be sure it wouldn't happen again…"

"Yeah, how do we know you're not going to betray us and use the Dragon Balls for yourself?" screeched the last of the three figures, a pretty girl with sleek, black hair going down to her shoulders, clad in a green army tunic with black boots. A slight hint of fear flashed through her eyes, but the fire and distrust in them was clear as glass. "For that matter, how can we be sure you're as great as you say?"

The person behind the curtain let out another spine-chilling laugh, only this one was far more savage than before. It promised pain to any who sought to oppose it. "You are a spirited one, girl, especially for a child. But you overstep your boundaries," the figure bellowed ferociously. "Everything about my record rings true, and as for my power… well, perhaps it's best to give you a demonstration…"

With that the shadowed being slowly grew in size – both height and width – until its silhouette covered almost the entirety of the curtain. Two vicious looking horns jutted out from its head, and small spikes formed along its beefy arms. A convenient bolt of lightning struck the ground beside the dark building, creating a deafening, booming sound that only served to make the expanding figure even more intimidating.

The three short people on the other side of the room – made to look even shorter by the now colossal monster they shared the space with, felt their blood run cold, and the sweat trailing down their brows froze in place. The absolute horror coursing through their veins was only punctuated when they spotted a flaming white aura burst to life around the gigantic being, clearly visible through the white curtain now rippling in a wild wind that seemed to come out of nowhere.

The trembling blue figure, who had a red, blue and black beanie adorning his bald head, slapped a circular green device down onto the ground. "This is a Dragon Radar we managed to procure. It's able to locate Dragon Balls no matter where they are," he explained evenly, trying to keep the immense fright he was feeling out of his voice. "We'll be in touch, Mr Kage."

With a short bow, the blue-skinned being and his two partners jumped up from their spots on the ground and sprinted out of the building, not willing to be in Kage's presence for any longer. With any luck, their new ally would come through for them, and once the Eternal Dragon granted their wish, the Pilaf Gang would no longer be cursed with having to relive the perils of childhood for a second time.

* * *

A stern-faced Son Gohan sped through the air, clad in his regular blue gi and with an uncommon frown marring his handsome features. _'I wonder what Bulma needs me for. She sounded pretty desperate on the phone,'_ he mused inwardly.

Shortly after breakfast this morning, Gohan was interrupted in the midst of doing his homework by a phone call from his father's blue-haired best friend, who requested that he visit her as soon as possible. As it was a Saturday, and completing his homework was a boring, dreary task, he was eager to accept her request, and after saying goodbye to his little brother, and reassuring his mother that he'd finish off his homework as soon as he got back, the demi-Saiyan rocketed off towards Capsule Corp.

It didn't take Gohan long to reach his destination. Given the immense speeds he could travel, even in his base form, crossing the world was child's play for the spiky-haired teenager. When the familiar domed building came into view, Gohan smiled and sensed out Bulma's ki, before flying into the dwelling through an open window and strolling down to her personal lab.

"Hey Bulma, what's up?" he greeted when the blue-haired genius came into view. She was adorned in a white scientist coat with matching pants, complete with smudges of all sorts, and hunched over a table tinkling with some robotic object.

"Morning, Gohan. Just give me a minute to get this done," she replied, screwing a bolt of some sort into whatever she was working on. A loud beep signified the completion of the task, after which she turned towards the demi-Saiyan and smiled. "You sure got here quick."

Gohan chuckled and scratched the back of his head. "It was either this or homework."

"Ah, that makes sense," Bulma remarked. "It's things like that that made me skip school all the time. Not that it harmed my grades, of course.

Gohan sweatdropped at the simplicity with which the woman made such an immodest admission, but couldn't help but smile. It was those little quirks of her personality that made Bulma such an interesting person.

"So anyway, you sounded pretty desperate on the phone. What's wrong?" he asked, his features hardening slightly.

Bulma blanched a bit at the look before reaching into her coat pocket and pulling out a familiar circular green object, the Dragon Radar, along with a small white case. "I'm pretty sure it's nothing major, but I've experienced these things enough to be slightly concerned," she stated, handing both items to Gohan. "Someone is gathering the Dragon Balls, and somehow masking them from the radar, despite the upgrades I've made to it. Three have already been collected, and whoever is doing it doesn't look like they'll be satisfied until they collect all seven."

Gohan frowned. "You think whoever's doing this has nefarious intentions?"

Bulma shrugged. "I don't know. With our run of rotten luck regarding these things, it wouldn't surprise me," she added with a smirk. "Besides, it couldn't hurt to at least check it out. It's not like you have anything better to do. That case I gave you contains a bunch of capsules which you might find useful."

Gohan's features softened and he let out a brief laugh. "You have a point. By the way, I can't help but wonder… what made you decide to come to me with this request?" he enquired.

"You were the best choice available," she replied simply. "Goku's off training on King Kai's planet, Vegeta's Vegeta, the boys would probably collect all the balls themselves and wish for something stupid like an island full of candy." She shuddered at that though. "I'm too busy to go on another Dragon Ball hunt, although I'd probably still kick ass at it. You, though, are the perfect choice. You're smart, reasonable, and you have that freakish Saiyan strength. It's not rocket science."

Gohan blushed lightly at the praise and smiled. "I guess I could use the distraction. Who knows, it could be fun. Hmm, I wonder if Videl would want to come with me…" he wondered out loud.

Bulma's eyes widened ever so slightly and her ears twitched at the spiky-haired boy's ponderings. "Videl? That girl you fight crime with and are currently training? Mr Satan's daughter?" A cheeky grin spread across her bright red lips. "How romantic! You can turn it into a date! I bet she's never gone on one like that before…"

Gohan's face turned a fierce shade of scarlet and he lowered his head. He needed to evacuate the building before the blue-haired genius' teasing became too much to bear. "Bye Bulma! I'll let you know what I find!"

With that the crimson-cheeked demi-Saiyan shot out of the room and flew out through the window he came in from, speeding off towards Satan City and shaking his head in an attempt to get rid of the redness staining his features.

Back in her lab, Bulma let out a hearty laugh. "That kid's too much," she giggled gleefully, wiping a stray tear from her eye. "He left before I could suggest to check out Baba's place. She helped Goku the last time the Dragon Balls went missing." After a few contemplative moments she simply shrugged and her lips quirked upwards. "Oh well, it'll be more fun this way."

* * *

Gohan, now adorned in his Saiyaman garb, pulled up to a stop above the Satan Manor. He directed his ki sensing towards the large building, and winced when he felt not just Videl's ki, but the ki of the world champion himself. That ruled out knocking on the door. The only other alternative was hoping that Videl was in her room, and getting her attention through the window. He couldn't help the flush of his cheeks. _'I've never been inside a girl's room before… or seen inside one, for that matter.'_

Shaking the embarrassing thoughts from his head, Gohan narrowed his senses onto Videl's own ki, and was pleased to note that it was a fair bit larger that every other occupant of the mansion, including her esteemed father. Well, that was a no brainer, really. He was also happy that she seemed to be situated in a room on the top floor, a fair bit away from anyone else.

With a small grin spread across his face, and his blush covered by his helmet, Gohan flew towards what he guessed was Videl's room. Taking a deep breath, he floated up to the large window, which happened to be closed, and peeked through the glass.

Videl's room was rather… bland, to put it one way. The walls were a simple white in colour, and free of any posters, to his slight surprise. A simple blue and grey patterned carpet covered the floor. There was a large wooden closet on one side of the room, right beside a dresser of the same material.

Just beside the window, Gohan could vaguely make out a wooden desk upon which stood a sleek, black computer, in addition to a few textbooks messily strewn about. On the wall opposite the dresser rested a large king size bed with modest blue sheets and white pillows, which looked to be rather fluffy.

Casually sprawled out on the bed was Videl herself, hands comfortably resting behind her head and legs crossed. The raven-haired girl was wearing simple black shorts in which her long, toned legs were almost fully on display, and a white singlet which showed just the slightest bit of tantalising cleavage, much to Gohan's appreciation… and slight horror at his moderately perverted thoughts. Two ever-familiar blue bands adorned the crime fighter's wrists, and she seemed to be listening to music, if the white earbuds and slight bobbing of her head were any indication.

Gohan raised a fist and rattled the window a few times, being extra careful to not break the glass or get the attention of someone unwanted. After a few knocks, Videl sprung up from her bed and assumed a standard martial arts stance as she faced the window with a glare, which dropped as soon as she saw who was knocking.

"Gohan?" the demi-Saiyan saw her mouth through the glass, to which he responded with a wave and a smile.

Videl's lips quirked upwards into a slight smile of her own, and with a shake of the head she walked towards her friend and opened the window invitingly. "Come on in."

Gohan did just that and eased himself into the room. When he was inside, he cast another glance over the area.

"I see you're admiring my humble abode," Videl observed amusedly.

Gohan scratched the back of his head sheepishly at how blatant he was being. "I expected at least a poster of some kung fu movie star," he admitted.

Videl chuckled in response. "That would require me actually doing some proper shopping, which I try to avoid as much as possible," she stated. "I only keep what I need in here, which isn't all that much to be honest."

"Huh," was all Gohan could say. "That doesn't really surprise me."

"So what brings you here?" Videl enquired curiously.

"I was going on a Dragon Ball hunt… of sorts, and wanted to ask if you were keen on coming along," Gohan said.

A blank expression crossed Videl's face. "Dragon Ball?"

Gohan palmed his helmet and shook his head with an amused grin. "That's right, I haven't told you about those yet."

Videl's lips spread into a wide smile, and her spiky-haired friend didn't need to be a mind reader to know the reason. "Ooh! I love story time. Let's hear it then." She walked over to the edge of her bed and sat down, before patting the spot beside her invitingly.

Gohan moved to follow her before stopping mid-step. His heart let out a beat, and his cheeks turned crimson underneath his helmet. He may have been naïve in many aspects of social interaction, but even he was wise enough to understand the relative intimacy of the situation he found himself in.

Then he remembered that Mr Satan was somewhere in the manor, and whatever romantic implications his mind had conjured up faded.

Videl fixed her friend with an inquisitive look when he sat down, to which he responded, "Don't ask."

The raven-haired girl shrugged her shoulders before her grin returned tenfold. "So, what are these Dragon Balls you speak of?"

Gohan decided to be as blunt as possible with his explanation. "The Dragon Balls are seven orange balls scattered all over the world. Each ball has a certain number of stars ranging from one to seven. When all the balls are gathered, a dragon is summoned and will grant you two wishes."

Videl's eyes were wide throughout her friend's explanation, and her mouth was gaping open. When he was done, she stared at him incredulously. "You're not kidding." It wasn't a question.

Gohan simply nodded. "I've seen the dragon before. His name's Shenlong. Really grumpy guy. Doesn't like being awakened from his slumber." He chuckled at that. "Can't really see why, though. I figured he'd be happy to get out from wherever it is he stays and get some fresh air. It's not like he's always getting summoned or anything. The last time he was needed was seven years ago."

Videl gaped at that admission. "But that was when the-"

"Cell Games happened," Gohan said with a deep frown, finishing his friend's sentence. "It was because of the Dragon Balls that all of Cell's victims came back to life."

Videl was absolutely stunned at that revelation if the flabbergasted expression adorning her pretty features was anything to go by. The raven-haired girl rubbed the bridge of her nose wearily. "So that's what happened. I always figured it was some kind of trick. That was the only explanation that made even a bit of sense." She then let out a wry chuckle. "I should've known you were involved somehow… you with your logic-defying weirdness and everything."

Gohan laughed meekly in response. The conversation was steering a bit too close to his role in Cell Games for his liking. _'Maybe I made a mistake telling her- no, I didn't. If anything, she deserves to know that much,'_ he mused. The boy still felt guilty at keeping that whole Cell debacle a secret from his spunky friend. _'I'll tell her eventually. When she's ready… when I'm ready…'_

"So… why do you need to go on a Dragon Ball hunt?" Videl asked after several seconds of silence. "Not that I'm not interested in coming along, because I am – it sounds really exciting. But I get the feeling these balls are only supposed to be used in emergencies… you're not looking to revive any dead people, are you?" she added, her expression turning a tad more sombre.

Gohan shook his head with a small smile. "Not this time, thankfully," he replied before his features turned more serious. "Someone is gathering the Dragon Balls and then hiding them. In my experience, that can't be a good thing. So my dad's friend asked me if to investigate what's going on. I figured I would ask you and we could turn it into a little adventure."

Videl perked up after hearing the explanation. "I'm keen!" she exclaimed giddily.

Despite her apparent enthusiasm, however, Gohan was still able to detect a hint of worry that flashed across his friend's pretty features. The demi-Saiyan inwardly frowned, and vowed to keep Videl safe on this little adventure they were about to embark on.

Nevertheless, Gohan gave the girl a small smile. "I'm glad you're up for it. By the way, should we invite Erasa and Sharpner?"

Videl shook her head. "They're both busy. Erasa has a job at the mall which she works on weekends, and Sharpner has boxing practice," she explained. A smirk then flitted across her lips. "Ever since he learnt how to channel ki into his fists, he's been looking forward to beating the crap out of his sparring partners."

At that revelation Gohan frowned. "I hope he doesn't hurt them too badly. Ki is a seriously dangerous weapon," he said, apprehension evident in his tone.

Videl waved off his concerns. "Don't worry, Sharpner won't go that far. For all his tough guy talk, he's a big softy who wouldn't hurt someone too bad without a very good reason," she reassured. "Besides, if he ever gets overzealous, I'll be there to pound some sense into him," she added as an afterthought.

Gohan let out a light chuckle. _'Typical Videl,'_ he couldn't help but think. "Well that's a relief. Anyway, unless there's anything else you want to go over, I'm going to wait outside while you get ready," he informed the crime fighter, who merely shook her head in response.

"No, you pretty much covered everything. I'll join you outside when I'm done getting ready… and when I've thought up a good enough excuse to give my dad," she remarked with a wry grin.

Gohan returned her grin with an amused one of his own. "Heh, good luck with that. Come find me in the air when you're done. Pack as if you're going on a day long training trip around the world." With a brief wave of his hand, he leapt through the window and out of sight.

Videl stood still for a few seconds, simply staring at the spot where her friend had evacuated the room, and thinking of how much her father would freak out if he knew there was a boy in her room. She shook her head to clear that amusing thought and started getting dressed.

It only took a few minutes for Videl to change into a pair of spandex shorts, a blue and orange shirt with the word 'FIGHT' across the chest, and her usual green boots. Each article of clothing was weighed down by a weird magic of some sort; the amount of weight Videl wore having increased since she first started this kind of training.

After deeming her preparations compete, Videl exited her room and swiftly made her way down to the living area where her father was. Given the enormity of the Satan Manor, the walk took a while, and like she had so many times before, Videl ignored the feeling of emptiness wafting through the pristine clean, ornately decorated halls.

Eventually, she reached the living room, where Mr Satan was sprawled out on a large couch of fine black leather, a mug of beer in his hand and a wide grin on his moustached face. The object of his attention and source of his elation was the gigantic flat screen TV upon which played a taping of the 24th Tenkaichi Budokai. The Mr Satan on the screen was currently suplexing a brutish, long haired man – Spopovich, if Videl remembered correctly.

The Mr Satan on the couch let out a whoop of joy at the manoeuvre. "Yeah, stick it to him, you sexy beast!" he hollered.

Videl felt a sweatdrop form and resisted the urge to gag. There were so many things wrong with that statement, and with the sight in general, that she felt a migraine forming. She rubbed her temples wearily.

It was then that Mr Satan noticed her presence, and his grin widened ever so slightly as her turned to face his daughter. "Hey there, Sweet Pea. Where are you off to?"

"Hey Dad," Videl greeted back, a slight hint of exasperation in her voice. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm going travelling for a bit." At the narrowing of her father's eyes, she let out a sigh and shrugged. "I just want to get out and see the world a bit. I need a break from the city, you know? The police are getting a bit too needy, and the paparazzi a bit too annoying."

Mr Satan's moustache twitched and his brows furrowed, a sign that the burly world champion was deep in thought. "Is anyone else going with you?" he asked in a low tone after a few tense seconds.

"No, just me. Erasa's working and Sharpner has boxing practice," Videl replied evenly.

Mr Satan met her blue eyes with his own and engaged in a brief staring contest of sorts, as though trying to detect any deception in his daughter's answer. Eventually, he just shrugged and took a deep sip from his mug. "Well alright then, as long as you're not going away on a date with some boy. Remember what I said – the only time you can date a boy is if he can beat me in a fight." At that Videl rolled her eyes, but her father didn't notice it and smiled. "Have fun, Sweet Pea."

The girl gave him a wave and made her way towards the door, but came to a halt when her father called out, "Oh, by the way, I'm going on a business trip tonight. Some famous filmmaker wants to make a movie about the Cell Games, and needs me to help him get the facts right. I should be back tomorrow evening."

Videl ignored the slight pang of pain in her chest at the revelation that she would be spending another night alone in the big, empty mansion she called her home. After all, it was a feeling she'd experienced countless times before, and was used to it by now… even if it hurt every damn time. Nevertheless, she forced a smile onto her features. "Have fun, Dad. I'll see you tomorrow then."

Before her father could respond, Videl opened the front door and walked down the pathway. She stared up into the grey, cloudy sky, and was able to spot a familiar green speck about 50 metres in the air.

After double checking her surroundings to make sure no one was watching, the raven-haired girl channelled her ki and took off into the air. She floated up to a costumed Gohan, who smiled when he saw her. "I'm ready to go," she curtly informed the superhero.

"Is everything ok, Videl?" Gohan enquired, his lips pursing into a frown.

"Everything's fine," Videl said firmly in a tone that she hoped would prevent any further questions.

Gohan was silent for a few moments before a small smile stretched across his lips. "If you say so. By the way, you look quite comfortable up here. You sure you're up for this? If not, I could always call Kinto'un to give you a lift?" he teased warmly.

At that Videl scoffed, and couldn't help but smirk. "I can handle it. I've had a whole week to practice flying. I got this."

Gohan chuckled. "If you say so."

The spiky-haired boy then withdrew from his tunic a small, green, circular device that Videl thought looked like a strange compass of sorts. He clicked a button and several orange dots appeared on the monitor.

"What's that?" she questioned.

"This is the Dragon Radar," Gohan explained with a smile. "This is what makes searching for Dragon Balls possible." He held out the device to his friend, who took it and examined it closely.

"You said there are seven balls. I can only see four," Videl observed, which caused Gohan to frown.

"Yeah, three of them are somehow being cloaked from the radar," he stated with a stern gaze. "The only way to draw out whoever is doing it is to lure them to us."

Videl handed the radar back to the costumed boy and slammed a fist into her palm. "Let them come. We'll just kick their asses and take their balls."

Gohan let out a brief laugh at her statement. "I'm glad you're confident. It's never good to go adventuring with doubts plaguing your mind."

Videl gave him a triumphant smirk. "There's no need to worry. We have the daughter of the world saviour himself, and her trusty sidekick, who just happens to be a superhero," she boasted.

Said superhero gave the raven-haired girl what she could only assume was a blank stare. It was impossible to make out his facial expression behind his black visor. "Since when did I get relegated to the role of sidekick?" he deadpanned.

"Why, since you invited me on this little trip, of course," Videl remarked sweetly, comfortingly patting her friend on the shoulder.

Gohan merely scratched the back of his orange helmet. "If you say so." He then scanned over the Dragon Radar and pointed to one of the orange dots. "This is our first destination. If I remember my geography, this should be where the Eastern Sea is."

Videl leaned over and looked over the radar herself, before something caught her attention. "Wouldn't it be closer to go here?" she enquired, pointing to another orange dot.

Gohan shook his head in response. "That's the four-star ball, which is at my house right now. It's a family heirloom of sorts, ever since it was handed down to my dad from his grandfather, Gohan. That was before he even knew what the Dragon Balls were."

Videl's eyes widened slightly. "Gohan? You were named after your great grandfather?" she asked in a curious tone.

The caped superhero nodded. "Yeah. He died when my dad was still a kid. He also trained under Muten Roshi."

Videl had to do a double take at that latest revelation. "If Muten Roshi trained both your great-grandfather and your father, just how old was the guy?"

Gohan simply stroked his chin contemplatively. "I think he's at least a couple of centuries old. I'll have to ask him the next time I see him," he answered casually.

Videl said nothing. She merely stared at her friend for a few seconds, not sure if she heard him right. "You mean Muten Roshi's still alive? Just how the hell is that possible?" she questioned.

"He drank something called an Immortality Elixir," was Gohan's response.

Videl stared blankly at the costumed teenager before exhaling deeply and rubbing her temples exasperatedly. The implications of what she'd just heard were both staggering and dizzying. "How does something like that even exist? And why aren't people flocking to it like crazy? For that matter, who'd even want to be immortal?"

She sighed once more and was about to sink to her knees… before remembering that she was floating about 50 metres in the air. So she resorted to shaking her head instead.

Gohan noticed how flustered she was and offered his female friend a warm smile. "I'll introduce you guys sometime. You can ask him when you meet him," he said comfortingly.

That broke Videl out of her stupor, the shock she was feeling being replaced by a sense of giddiness brought about by the martial arts enthusiast inside her. She returned Gohan's smile with one of her own. "Thanks. I'm sure meeting him will be enlightening."

Gohan chuckled. "I'm sure it will be… if you get past his quirks." He then shook his head. "Anyway, we should get a move on. I'll ask again, do you think you're up to flying, or do I need to call Kinto'un?"

Videl resolved to ask her spiky-haired friend about Muten Roshi's "quirks" later, and smirked confidently at his teasing question. "I can handle flying. I didn't work my ass off this whole week for nothing," she boasted proudly.

"I figured you'd say that," Gohan remarked with an amused shake of the head. "Try to keep up then. And remember, keep a constant flow of ki around your body to act as a barrier from the wind."

Videl nodded, and forced a miniscule amount of ki through her pores, which quickly came to cover her entire body in a thin sheen of invisible energy. Immediately, she felt a sudden surge of warmth, which was quite welcome given how cloudy and windy it was. As though having sensed the formation of her ki barrier, Gohan gave the girl a nod and shot off into the distance.

Videl followed after the boy, who was flying at a much lower speed than he usually did. She could tell by comparing how fast he was currently travelling to how quickly he was going earlier in the week, when they were called by the police to help out at the burning apartment building.

While Videl knew such a thing was natural given Gohan's proficiency in ki manipulation, as well as his far greater wealth of experience on the matter, the fact that she was so far behind him grated on her nerves ever so slightly. For so long, she was used to thinking she was great – someone who had a place among the greatest martial artists in the world. But even since she met Son Gohan and his family, that perception was shattered like fragile glass.

With that in mind, the raven-haired crime fighter forced an even greater amount of ki through her feet, and rocketed past her costumed friend.

Gohan simply quirked his head to the side as he matched her speed and pulled up beside her, and Videl could tell he was giving her a curious look from behind his visor. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Don't be too hasty, Videl. We're probably going to be flying for most of the day. It's best to conserve your energy," he chided gently.

Said girl snorted in response. "Don't treat me like a princess, Gohan. I can handle a bit of fast flying," she retorted.

"If you say so," Gohan chuckled. "Just don't blame me when you run out of ki and need to have Kinto'un carry you."

Videl smirked inwardly, taking her friend's comment as a challenge of sorts. She'd show him she could fly on her own without the aid of a magic golden cloud. She didn't bust her ass training the entire week, while wearing weighted clothes no less, just to have to rely on someone – or rather, something else's help. She would surpass her mentor's expectations. _'Count on it, Gohan…'_

The pair of high schoolers soared through the air at an even speed. They weren't extraordinarily high up, being quite a bit below the harsh grey clouds which covered the sky, but they were well out of sight of any onlookers. Were a denizen of Satan City to gaze up into the air and squint, the two flying teenagers would appear as mere dots in the sky, as though they were two birds.

It was due to this reason, Videl assumed, that Gohan had dematerialised his Saiyaman outfit and was now flying in his regular blue gi. And she preferred it that way. Putting aside her distaste for the garish costume, which she still found to be an eyesore, now she could take subtle glances at the muscular boy out of the corner of her eye.

She could admire the size and shape of his biceps and triceps, not as large as a bodybuilder's, but firm, and perfectly suited for a martial artist. Her eyes could trail past his broad shoulders to his toned pectorals, no doubt as hard as solid steel. She could make out the top of his ripped abs, teasingly peeking out from V-neck of his gi top. Then there was his dark hair, rustling tantalisingly in the breeze. Idly, Videl wondered what it would be like to run a hand through her onyx-eyed friend's spiky, black locks. Would they be hard, or soft?

As quickly as that thought came, Videl cast it aside with a firm slap to her cheek. _'What the hell is wrong with me? Thinking about those thought of all things… ugh, I'm not Erasa!'_ she scolded mentally.

The sound of the slap drew Gohan's questioning gaze to her, which she met with a scowl. "A bug landed on my face," she lied in a tone that brokered no further conversation.

The gi-clad boy put his hands up defensively before turning his head away from Videl and focusing on the path in front of him. She breathed out a sigh of relief, hating the fact that she had just told a lie, but not as much as the fact that she'd had such perverted thoughts in the first place.

With the images of Gohan's marble-like figure out of her head, Videl instead focused on the sight below her.

She'd flown using her ki several times before, but never as high as this, and never in an area other than the wilderness near the Son home. As such, she couldn't help but admire the statuesque skyscrapers adorning Satan City's business district, or the red-tiled roofs of the houses neatly lining the metropolis' residential area. Her attention then trailed towards the city's various roads and highways, stacked with cars moving in an orderly fashion.

A childlike glee welled up in Videl's stomach; the raven-haired girl slowly coming to the realisation that her longtime wish was being fulfilled. Since she was a little girl, she wanted to soar among the clouds like a bird. She wanted the freedom that came with the power of flight. She wanted to get away from all the attention and expectations that came with being the daughter of Mr Satan. The only place she felt she could escape it all was the sky…

Not for the first time, Videl felt an incomprehensible amount of gratitude towards Son Gohan for taking her under his wing and agreeing to train her. While the circumstances surrounding the arrangement were less than ideal, it didn't change the fact that he was the reason she could achieve her dream.

Not for the first time, Videl felt an odd sensation course through her chest – one that sent a surge of warmth through her being that wasn't from her ki. She couldn't help but wonder… just what did that feeling mean?

Time seemed to drift by at an incalculable rate as the two dark-haired martial artists rocketed through the air, high above the tallest buildings yet a fair bit below the grim, grey clouds. It was only once the outskirts of Satan City appeared in the distance that Videl's eyes widened, as she finally grasped just how far she'd flown on her own merits.

As the duo sped past the enormous billboard bearing Mr Satan's grinning face, Videl scowled and made gagging noises. "They have one of these hideous monstrosities planted at each of the four entrances to the city. I love my dad, but sometimes he takes things too damn far," she grumbled.

Gohan chuckled. "I get where you're coming from. But still, you have to admit, they're pretty funny."

"Heh, I guess that's one way of looking at it," she remarked with a brief quirk of her lips.

As the pair shot past the eastern border of Satan City the scenery down below immediately changed, and the bustling urban metropolis was replaced by flat, grassy plains, lakes here and there, barren wastelands and the occasional bush dotting the landscape. Off towards the horizon, Videl could make out the tips of a few colossal mountains. The sight really served to hammer home just what kind of adventure she was undertaking, and the giddiness from before returned once more.

"How you holding up?"

Videl turned her head to the side, and her blue eyes met the black ones of her spiky-haired friend and mentor. Even now, she could detect the ever-present warmth within Gohan's onyx orbs. She couldn't help the smile that stretched across her lips. "I'm great. I really needed this, Gohan. Thanks for asking me to come along," she said gratefully.

Gohan merely scratched the back of his head and grinned. "It was nothing," he remarked, his cheeks taking on a faint red tint. "You're a part of my world now, more or less, so it's only fair to ask you to come along to a Dragon Ball hunt."

That statement caused the same odd sensation in her chest to surface once more, only this time it was accompanied by an another feeling – this one being a feeling she recognised all too well, as it was one she'd experienced many times this past week.

It was joy.

Joy at learning to fly.

Joy at being accepted into Gohan's crazy little world.

Joy at finding one more friend she could trust.

Joy at the fact that Gohan stumbled into her life.

Come to think of it, Son Gohan was the chief cause of a lot of the happiness she'd felt lately. Maybe one day she'd be able to express to him in words just how thankful she was for everything he'd done for her. To be hesitant in an endeavour as simple as admitting to someone her gratitude was a wholly new experience for her. With anyone else she'd damn well speak her mind whenever she wanted to, but with Gohan, it was different for some reason. He was an enigma, and he had a strange effect over Videl that the girl didn't know what to make of.

She was broken from her musings when Gohan came to a halt. She followed suit, and noticed that they had stopped before a large mountain range. One of the colossal behemoths stood right in front of them; wide, rough-looking, and with an unseen tip that pierced the clouds like a spire. Just why had they stopped their journey here?

"Want to go fly above the peaks?" Gohan asked.

Videl's eyes widened. "Are you sure? Is that safe?" she stammered, inwardly scolding herself at how frightened she sounded.

Gohan gave her a reassuring smile. "It is. I wouldn't ask if I didn't think you were up to it," he said. "The air is a fair bit thicker up there, and it's harder to breathe, but it looks beautiful. I really think you'll like it."

Videl pondered his words for a few moments. Despite a tiny part of her subconscious shouting that she was nuts, the reckless adventurer inside the girl begged her to do it. Videl was someone who always pushed herself to the limit, and took on challenges that would make most people weep. She was someone who was always bettering herself, no matter what the task. After all, it was one of the foundations of martial arts.

The moment a martial artist grew stagnant and believed there was nothing left to learn, was the moment that person died as a martial artist.

The same principle could be applied to other aspects of life as well. And for Videl – someone who had a constant drive to improve herself – it was a principle she lived by.

"Let's do it," she stated confidently.

Gohan grinned. "I'll be by your side the whole time. Just reduce your ki output and don't rush your ascent. Take it slow."

Videl nodded, and did as she was told. Straight away, she felt herself become weaker, but she paid that thought no heed. In this instance, moderation was required. Slowly, the raven-haired girl pushed a steady amount of ki through the soles of her feet, and rose higher into the air. Gohan was right beside her, matching his energy output with hers.

Slowly, the pair of teenagers rose higher. Videl took notice of the tough, brown rock of the mountain wall, its rough, jagged edges serving as a dangerous detriment to any who wished to climb it by hand. She smirked. That was not an issue she had to overcome.

After several minutes of an even-paced ascent, Videl felt her breathing become harder, a sure sign that the air was getting thinner. A few beads of sweat formed on her brow, and her teeth started chattering ever so slightly. A sudden, ever-increasing cold overtook her. Her heartbeat quickened.

She then felt a welcomingly warm hand clasp her own, and a foreign yet familiar, and very much welcome ki flooded her body. The cold she was feeling evaporated instantly, after which Videl smiled gratefully. "Thanks Gohan."

"No problem," was the boy's response.

With that, Gohan's hand unclasped itself from hers, much to Videl's displeasure. While she was now quite warm, her friend's touch provided an entirely new warmth that she found herself missing.

She didn't have too long to dwell on that thought, as the two high schoolers finally rose past the mountain peak, with Videl feeling a touch of cool and a slight wetness as she passed through the clouds. It was not an unpleasant feeling, however. Once the haze dispersed and she got her visibility back, the crime fighter couldn't help but gasp at the sight in front of her.

Having ascended the entire mountain to the point where they were now hovering above the clouds themselves, the teenage duo was treated to a wondrous view of the mountain range before them. Several colossal structures of natural rock were arranged haphazardly around each other, their tips drilling through the mist like a phalanx of spears. Snow could be seen covering the peaks, further enhancing the beauty of the scenery.

"Wow," Videl breathed out, so entranced by the view that she couldn't form any other words.

"It's pretty neat, isn't it?" a smiling Gohan asked from her side.

Videl swallowed thickly and took a few deep breaths. "It's beautiful. I've never seen anything like it."

"Nature is a beautiful thing," the spiky-haired boy remarked with a touch of sorrow. "It's a shame so many people miss out on experiencing things like this due to spending their entire lives cooped up in the city."

Videl pondered his words for a moment. As sad as it was, he spoke the truth. Heck, she doubted she'd ever have seen anything like the view currently before her had she never met Gohan. She might not even have known that such a sight existed. Again, she felt an immense gratitude towards her onyx-eyed friend, and the odd feeling in her chest surfaced once more. She frowned inwardly. Just what the hell did it mean?

"When you're ready to keep moving, just let me know, Gohan informed the girl, breaking her from her thoughts.

Videl was silent for a few seconds, simply taking in the magical, almost fantastical picture before her very eyes, that looked like something straight out of an adventure novel. When she had basked in the beauty enough, she turned to her friend and smiled. "I'm ready to go."

Gohan returned her smile with his own, the simple action illuminating his already handsome features and giving him an even more pleasant appearance. "Ok. We'll take it slowly as we pass over the mountain peaks," he stated. "Once you start moving, you'll notice it'll become much harder to breath. Don't panic. Just try to keep your breathing steady, in through the nose, and out through the mouth."

Videl nodded, a gleam of determination sparkling in her cerulean orbs. "I'm ready."

Gohan nodded as well, and slowly began floating over the mountain range. Then raven-haired crime fighter followed suit, and pulled up beside the boy. So close were the two that their arms were almost touching. Although she would never admit it, Videl still felt a tiny tinge of fear at her current predicament, knowing that if she lost control of her ki she would plummet several thousand metres to the ground… or worse, have her body be impaled over a mountain peak.

She gulped audibly at the macabre thought and moved even closer to Gohan. The only place she felt completely safe was by his side. Were she to fall, he was the only one she trusted to rescue her.

Once again, she felt his larger hand clasp her smaller one, and his digits intertwine with her own, melding together like matching pieces of a puzzle. He gave her a reassuring smile, which caused her heart to beat a tiny bit faster.

It was in this position that the two friends soared over the mountain range like a pair of eagles, high above the snow-tipped peaks that pierced through the mist and acted as a barrier to the world below. Once they had passed the gigantic structures, the dark-haired duo descended beneath the clouds, and were greeted by the sight of an enormous forest.

It was large, and dazzlingly green, but it didn't have the mysticism of the forest that surrounded the Son household, and acted as the picturesque base of the Mount Paozu region – at least in Videl's honest opinion. That being said, however, it was still rather nice to look at.

"The Eastern Sea should be just past this forest," Gohan informed. "That'll be where we start our search."

Videl contemplated his statement before her brows furrowed slightly. "Gohan…" she began warily, "are you telling me we're going to be looking through the entire ocean just to find one little orange ball?"

The boy chuckled sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. "You made it sound like we're going to do the impossible. It shouldn't be that difficult. We have the Dragon Radar to pinpoint the location, and Bulma gave me a case of capsules which could prove useful."

Videl nodded as she processed the information. Her eyes then widened. Wait a minute… "Bulma? As in Bulma Brief?" she questioned.

"That's the one," Gohan chirped. "You know her?"

Videl gave her friend a deadpanned stare. "Just what is your connection to the richest woman in the world?"

"She's my dad's best friend, and pretty much my godmother… although I don't think she was ever officially given the title," he remarked casually while stroking his chin.

"Huh," Videl said, not knowing what to make of that. After a few moments, she merely sighed and levelled a smirk at the boy. "You're just full of surprises, aren't you?"

Gohan laughed. "So I've been told… many times."

With a pleasant atmosphere around the pair, they zoomed over the trees of the forest below, and after about half an hour of flying, Videl was able to make out some blue past the horizon; the telltale signs of the ocean. She smiled inwardly, pleased at the fact that she had been able to sustain flight for such a long period of time. The girl was confident she could do it before she even set off with Gohan on this adventure, but actually having done so brought a whole new sensation of pride.

Before long, the airborne duo came to a stop just past the edge of the forest… only to realise they were still holding hands. Neither had noticed that simple fact while flying towards the ocean. For Videl, the feeling of Gohan's hand clasping her own felt so normal… so natural, that she didn't even register it. With equal shades of scarlet tinting their cheeks, the pair of teenagers let go of each other. Videl immediately noticed just how much colder she felt, despite the fact that the weather out here was quite pleasant.

After a few moments of gathering her bearings, the raven-haired crime fighter gazed out over the crystal clear water, watching as gentle waves lapped against the sand of the beach down below. The skies were a bright blue and free of any white – a welcome change from the gloomy, grey clouds hanging above Satan City.

"How are you feeling?" Gohan asked.

Videl did a quick check of her ki reserves. While she felt a noticeable drop from her usual level of energy, she still had plenty left in the tank. She grinned at that realisation. "I'm good to keep going."

Gohan smiled. "Good to know. We'll fly out a bit further across the ocean, until we get to the general area where the Dragon Ball is. Then we'll come up with a plan," he explained.

Videl nodded. "Sounds good."

The duo shot off across the sea, with the female of the pair immediately noticing how vast the ocean was. It all looked the same to her, with the only variety being that the waves were bigger in some parts of the sea than others. As a whole, the ocean certainly wasn't as aesthetically pleasing as the mountains, or even the forest they'd just passed, but it had its own charm all the same.

Feeling a bit daring, Videl flew downwards until she was just above the sparkling blue water. With a wide grin splitting her face, the raven-haired girl rocketed forward, parting the surface of the ocean as though she were a torpedo.

Gohan matched the crime fighter's speed and pulled up beside her, his brow quirked up in amusement. "Someone's having fun," he observed.

"Shut up," she retorted good-naturedly. "I can't believe I've been missing out on something so… liberating my entire life."

Gohan scratched his cheek. "You have a point. It's been so long since I learnt how to fly that I forgot just how great it feels the first time you take to the sky."

There was comfortable silence between the pair from that point onwards. Gohan seemed content to let Videl enjoy herself, which the girl was thankful for. As she flew she felt the rippling water splash her a few times. She found the cooling effect rather refreshing, especially given how strongly the sun was shining.

A glance at her watch told Videl that she'd been in the air for about two hours now, which was a pleasant surprise. Time seemed to fly by at the speed of a freight train, but she assumed that was because she was having so much fun.

Gohan came to an abrupt stop and levitated a few metres in the air. He then pulled out the Dragon Radar and looked it over. A frown then formed across his features. "It's just as I thought. The Dragon Ball is somewhere in the ocean. I was hoping it'd be on an island. That would make searching for it much easier."

Videl pursed her lips. "Is that a problem?"

"No," Gohan replied with a shake of the head. "It's just means that now one of us has to go diving…" he trailed off, having noticed the stern look the girl was giving him, and scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "It just means that I have to go diving, or hope that Bulma has something in here that can help us," he added, pulling out the white capsule case.

Videl floated up beside him. "Let's have a look then."

Gohan opened the case, and the duo looked inside, only to see several capsules arranged in neat rows. Videl scanned over the various capsules, which she was pleased to note were labelled appropriately. After only a few moments of searching, she picked one of the cylindrical objects up and rolled it between her fingers. "This is what we need."

Gohan read the label. "A submarine, eh? You know how to use one of those things?"

Videl smirked cockily. "Of course. Piloting submarines is child's play. Get with the times, Gohan," she teased.

The boy frowned at the comment. "Hey, I've never needed to pilot a submarine before. I'd always go diving on my own. Much easier that way. Quicker too."

Videl's smirk dropped ever so slightly at the reminder of just how freakishly athletic her friend was. She hoped that one day she could reach his level, but with how far apart the gap between them currently was, she honestly doubted such a thing was possible. That didn't mean she wouldn't try, though.

With that in mind, the raven-haired girl activated and threw down the capsule, and when the smoke dissipated it revealed a round, pink submarine, with two oval-shaped protrusions on its sides that had the number 9 painted on them. Another curved protrusion extended from just above the window of the cockpit, that was shaped to resemble a fin. The sub's propellers were located at the very back of the vehicle.

Gohan stroked his chin ponderingly. "Well that's… surprisingly feminine," he commented.

Videl chuckled in amusement. "I never knew Bulma Brief was so girly."

"She has her moments," Gohan remarked. "Anyway, you said you could pilot this thing?"

"Like a pro," Videl boasted. She floated down to submarine and opened the cockpit, only to cringe visibly at what she saw.

"Videl, what's wrong?" a worried Gohan asked.

The girl turned towards her friend and gave him a blank look. "This sub's a one seater."

Gohan stared at Videl for a few moments before his eyes widened visibly and his cheeks turned a fierce crimson. "Oh."

"Yeah..." Videl said, her cheeks also reddening to the colour of tomato. "So… how are we going to do this?"

Gohan gulped. "Well, since I don't know how to ride this thing, the only option I see is…" He swallowed once more, and a bead of sweat trailed down his temple. "The only option I see is for you to… sit in my lap and pilot it."

"I see," Videl remarked, trying to keep a level tone, despite the fact that her heart started beating like crazy. She exhaled deeply in attempt to calm herself down. "So be it. Get in there," she commanded.

A red-faced Gohan floated down to the partly submerged vehicle, and as he passed the crime fighter he gave her an apologetic smile. "Sorry about this."

Videl simply returned the smile and shook her head. "Don't worry about it. You had no way of knowing," she reassured him.

Gohan hesitantly manoeuvred himself into the lone seat inside the cockpit. Given his rather tall and broad frame, it was a tight fit, especially if the fidgeting he was doing was any indication. And it was about to get even tighter.

Videl followed after him, and with another deep breath lowered herself onto his lap. Luckily, due to the fact that her back was turned, the spiky-haired boy couldn't see how frighteningly red her face had become. On the other hand, she couldn't see Gohan's face either, and was thusly unable to spot the vicious shade of scarlet plastered across his handsome features.

From her spot on Gohan's knees, Videl could feel his solid, finely toned quadriceps through his pants, a further testament to just how fit the guy was. Leaning back against his stomach allowed her to brush up against the rippling abdominal muscles hidden beneath the fabric of his gi, but still as solid as a rock.

Videl suppressed a gulp as her heartbeat quickened. This was the closest she'd even been to a boy… well, while conscious at least. She'd also never been in such an intimate position before. If her father ever found out, he'd probably go on a murderous rampage.

With that horrific yet amusing thought in mind, Videl closed the cockpit, further confining herself and Gohan within the enclosed space, and turned on the ignition. As the submarine lowered itself beneath the waves, Videl cast aside her embarrassing thoughts – with great difficulty at that – and focused instead on her surroundings.

Murky, dark blue water was all she could see; a stark change from the light, gentle blue that was the surface of the ocean. This was the sight that the two teenagers were treated to for the few minutes the submarine spent descending towards the ocean floor. Eventually, the murkiness cleared, and the view became far easier on the eye.

Far beneath the surface of the Eastern Sea, Videl was able to spot all sorts of fish going about their business. A school of salmon crossed in front of the submarine, briefly obscuring the view from the cockpit. Two jellyfish casually floated a few metres away, seemingly without a care in the world. The odd pairing of a clownfish and a far larger but much thinner blue fish with a yellow tail sped past the vehicle. The whistle of an orca could be heard in the distance.

It was magical. "The sight is amazing, don't you think, Gohan?" Videl breathed out.

"Sure is," Gohan ground out with noticeable effort.

Unbeknownst to the crime fighter, her spiky-haired friend was having a bout of personal trouble that kept him from enjoying the scenery. Considering the fact that a very fit and extremely attractive girl was sitting on his lap, with only a very thin layer of spandex preventing her skin from touching his most private part, Gohan was fighting with all his might to keep his… natural masculine urges from affecting his body.

Given their relatively intimate positions, Videl would definitely be able to feel a certain hardening against her thighs – or worse, her backside, were Gohan to give in to his body's desires. As such, the muscular male was straining his mind to come up with the most unnatural, unattractive, and unpleasant images he could think of.

' _Muten Roshi in a speedo… strutting down a catwalk… darn! It's not working!'_ Beads of sweat slid down the boy's brow. _'An oiled up and barely-clad Vegeta body slamming someone in a wrestling ring… no good! Oolong in a fashion show… not weird enough!'_

"You ok back there, Gohan?" Videl asked from her spot on his lap. "You sound a bit sick."

"Just peachy!" a struggling Gohan replied. The mere sound of the raven-haired girl's voice caused whatever semblance of control he was gaining over his body to slip. _'Crap! Sharpner in a tutu! Krillin taking ballet lessons! Chiaotzu pole dancing! Mr Satan advertising women's underwear!'_

It was the last thought that did it for Gohan, as his face took on a sickly shade of green and he had to force down the urge to puke. Nevertheless, he couldn't help the miniscule quirk of his lips. _'I survived…'_

As the boy got over his brief panic attack, a completely unaware Videl scanned over the controls of the submarine. There were several buttons which were completely foreign to her, most notably a big red one with a skull and crossbones on it. "I wonder what this one does…"

The curious girl pressed the button, and much to her shock the front of the sub opened up and out shot a torpedo that rocketed through the water.

Two transfixed pairs of eyes tracked the missile's path, being unable to do a thing to stop it, until it impacted against something in the distance and caused a humongous explosion. The blast created a shockwave which launched the submarine several metres backwards, and the sound was deafening.

Once her ears had stopped ringing, a gaping Videl stared at the controls in front of her in absolute shock. "What the hell was that!"

A groaning Gohan gingerly rubbed his ears. "I thought you said you knew how to ride one of these things," he mumbled.

Videl craned her neck to the side and gave her friend a blank stare. "Normal submarines don't have the same amount of firepower as military grade aircraft… or any firepower for that matter," she stated firmly. "Your friend Bulma is clearly insane."

"You're not entirely wrong," Gohan grumbled in response.

Silence reigned between the pair for a few more moments as they both tried to get their bearings, until a vicious snapping was heard from the direction the torpedo was launched. A wary Videl's eyes shot open once she was able to make out the source – a group of savage looking great white sharks speeding towards the submarine with fire blazing in their eyes.

"I think you interrupted their feeding time," Gohan remarked nonchalantly.

Meanwhile, a panicking Videl was fiddling furiously with the controls of the submarine, attempting to reorient it after it was sent hurtling backwards by the explosion. Just before the sharks collided with its steel hull, the girl managed to set the vehicle back on course and accelerate away from the furious animals.

However, the great whites were still keeping up with the submarine, a fact that caused beads of sweat to roll down Videl's brow. "Can't you do something? Like maybe scare them away with your ki?" she asked Gohan frantically, trying to prevent the sharks from coming any closer.

"Sure I could… if you wanted me to blow up the submarine in the process," the boy deadpanned, somehow managing to keep his cool.

Videl angrily grit her teeth. "There's gotta be something we can do to outrun them!"

"Check the controls," Gohan told her. "If this thing can fire torpedoes, who knows what else it can do."

Videl took his suggestion and hurriedly scanned over the controls on the dashboard in front of her. She was able to make out all sorts of buttons with weird symbols etched on them, such as a bar of chocolate, a shuriken, a straw hat, a giant claw and a frog. The odd assortment of options only served to strengthen Videl's belief that Bulma Brief was crazy. Eventually, the girl found what she was looking for: a button with what looked like a rocket ship painted on it.

With a trembling finger, the crime fighter pushed down on it, and was immediately launched backwards into the steel wall that was Son Gohan, just as a burst of fire shot out from the rear end of the submarine and sent it rocketing away from the onrushing sharks at blinding speed.

The muscular boy let out a gasp due to the fact that Videl had landed against a very soft and sensitive part of his body. On the bright side, at least now it wouldn't be such a struggle to keep it from rising. However, Gohan wasn't sure whether the trade-off was worth it considering how much dizzying pain he was in. Being no stranger to getting hurt though, the boy was able to keep the agony from showing on his face.

Videl, yet again completely unaware of her friend's extreme amount of discomfort, let out a relieved sigh once the great white sharks were left in the dust, and leaned back into Gohan's hard chest, not even caring that it would make their positions even more intimate. "Thank Kami Bulma installed turbo boosters," she breathed out, wiping the sweat off her brow.

"She's resourceful like that," Gohan ground out weakly.

When Videl deemed them to be a sufficient distance away from their pursuers, she deactivated the turbo. The pair of teenagers then took a few seconds to compose themselves.

"Anyway, now that that's out of the way, how close are we to the Dragon Ball?" Videl enquired.

With visible signs of struggle, Gohan reached a hand into his gi and pulled out the Dragon Radar. After looking it over, he let out a relieved sigh and a tiny smile. "What luck! That little stunt of yours moved us into the vicinity of the Dragon Ball," he explained in a relieved tone. "It should be a bit further west."

Videl nodded triumphantly, and manoeuvred the submarine in that direction. After a few minutes of comfortable travelling, the pair came across an enormous animal gently swimming through the sea. It was large – much larger than a house, and had a ridged white underside. The top half of the creature was dark blue in colour, and looked to be a fair bit smoother than its belly.

"A whale…" Videl breathed out in awe. "This is the first time I've ever seen one up close…"

"They are beautiful animals," Gohan said softly from behind her, his breath tickling the back of her neck.

Videl suppressed the blush that tried to form on her cheeks, and spent a few more seconds admiring the majestic sea creature. When she'd had enough, she looked back towards Gohan. "So, is the Dragon Ball anywhere near here?" she asked.

The spiky-haired boy looked at the Dragon Radar again before his eyes widened. He glanced down at the radar, then at the whale, then back to the radar. A sinking feeling formed in the pit of Videl's stomach as her mind started piecing together the clues. "Don't tell me…"

"… the Dragon Ball is inside the whale's stomach," Gohan said, finishing her sentence and handing her the Dragon Radar for confirmation.

The crime fighter sighed audibly. "Nothing is ever easy, is it? What the hell are we going to do now?"

Gohan scratched the back of his head and his features scrunched up as though he were deep in thought. "Well, I certainly don't want to attack the poor thing. It's wrong to kill animals unless you need them for food. That aside, I quite like whales." His shoulders slumped in defeat. "I'm out of ideas."

Videl strained her mind to come up with a possible solution. After a few moments, a lightbulb went off inside her head. "Maybe Bulma has something in that capsule case of hers?" she suggested, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. "You may be used to doing things the old fashioned way, but technology can do so much. With how insane Bulma Brief is, and if the stories of her brilliance are true, I wouldn't be surprised if she came up with something just for situations like these."

Gohan's face broke out into a wide smile. "You're right!" He reached into his gi top and pulled out the white capsule case, which he then handed over the Videl.

The girl took the offered item and opened it up. Eager blue eyes scanned over the contents of the case, looking for something that could be of use. After a while, her eyes picked up on a bright pink capsule that had a rather intriguing name. "Micro Band?"

Videl picked up the capsule and read from the label, "A watch that can shrink the person who is wearing it down to the size of a bug." Her eyes shot open. "Gohan! This is what we need!" At the boy's curious gaze, she continued. "With this, you can shrink down to a tiny size, go inside the whale, find the Dragon Ball, and get out! No harm done."

Gohan stared at his female friend blankly for a few seconds. "I never offered to do that."

Videl merely narrowed her eyes; the meaning behind the simple action clear as day: you don't have a choice in the matter.

Gohan sighed dejectedly. "Alright, fine. I'll do it," he muttered unenthusiastically.

Videl grinned. "That's the spirit!" The girl then looked over the pink capsule in detail once more. "What a fascinating invention... it would be perfect for espionage. I wonder what kind of amazing things it was used for?" she enquired.

"Beats me. You should ask Bulma," Gohan grumbled.

Videl just chuckled at his discomfort. "I just might. Anyway, since we don't have the space to do… well, anything in here, we need to go back above ground."

Gohan nodded. "Sounds good. I've already locked onto the whale's ki signature, so we're not going to lose the big guy any time soon."

Videl smiled. Finally, things were going their way. With a sense of eager anticipation, the raven-haired girl piloted the submarine back to the surface of the ocean. One it emerged from beneath the waves, she opened the cockpit and flew up into the sky, after which she breathed out a relieved sigh and stretched out her joints. "Man, I really needed that," she exclaimed.

"How do you think I feel?" Gohan muttered, having taken flight alongside the girl. You had even more room that I did. I was squished between you and the seat. It was… unpleasant."

Videl's body froze, and the crime fighter robotically turned her head towards her spiky-haired friend. She then levelled at him her most sickeningly sweet smile, which was actually quite ferocious and promised a great deal of pain. "Gohan… are you calling me fat?"

The muscular boy paled and his eyes shot open dramatically. "Are you nuts? No way!" he stammered anxiously, the worry in his voice almost tangible. "You're not fat! Not in the slightest! You're actually very fit, believe me!"

It was then that Gohan noticed what he'd said, and clasped his hands over his mouth.

Videl merely chuckled and this time gave him a genuine smile. "Thank you for the compliment, Gohan."

The boy sputtered a few times, before exhaling deeply and sheepishly scratching the back of his head. "Ah, it was nothing," he mumbled nervously.

With another chuckle at how flustered her friend had become, Videl activated the Micro Band capsule, and when the smoke cleared it revealed her to be holding a small, pink, wristwatch-like device, with two red and blue buttons where the hands would usually be. "Huh. I wasn't expecting something so simple looking to be capable of something so amazing," she remarked.

Gohan pointed to his Saiyaman watch, to which Videl smirked. "I said something amazing, Gohan, not something lame."

At that the boy's shoulder's slumped, and Videl barked out a laugh. "Cheer up, Saiyaman. To tell you the truth, the outfit is growing on me, believe it or not."

Gohan perked up and grinned at the girl. "Would you like me to ask Bulma to make you one? She can have it done in no time at all!" he asked hopefully.

Videl gagged at the garish suggestion. "I'm not that far gone yet, Gohan," she stated seriously, only for the boy's grin to morph into a dejected frown. She smiled. "Anyway, we've dallied enough. Here, try it on," she ordered, throwing the Micro Band to her friend.

Gohan caught the pink object and placed it around his right wrist. He then took a deep breath and pressed the blue button. Videl didn't even have time to blink before her friend disappeared before her eyes. On closer inspection though, he was still there, he had merely shrunken to the size of her finger.

The girl grinned at the miniature boy, hovering in the air in his usual garb with an unamused frown across his features. "D'aww, look at how cute you are! Why, I could just pinch your cheeks!" she squealed in a voice very much reminiscent of Erasa.

"Please don't," a squeaky-voiced Gohan called out with a pout.

The smile never left Videl's face, even as Gohan returned to his normal size. "Well, at least we know it works," he commented.

He then flew down towards the submarine and took off his boots and the Saiyaman watch, which he deposited inside the cockpit. He then dug around behind the seat and pulled out a purple scuba mask, which he aptly placed on his head. Just as he was about to activate the Micro Band again, Gohan turned to Videl with an inquisitive gaze.

"Just how am I supposed to get inside the whale?" he asked.

Videl chuckled. "I thought you'd know. I mean, there's a reason Sharpner calls you Brains." At the blank stare the boy gave her in response she smirked. "Well as far as I know, there are only three options. You can go in through the mouth, in through the blowhole, or in through the ass."

Gohan blanched at the suggestions. "None of those sound too appealing…"

"Aww, come on, it can't be that bad!" Videl remarked, trying to lighten the situation. "You can just treat it as a learning experience. You like learning, right?" she teased.

Gohan merely shook his head, but the raven-haired girl noticed the tiny quirk of his lips. He gave his friend a brief wave and said, "I'll be back," before shrinking down to the size of a bug and diving into the ocean.

With his immense physical conditioning and enhanced Saiyan strength, Gohan was able to shoot down into the deep water like a rocket. He paid no heed to the various wildlife swimming in the area, wanting to get this task over with as quickly as possible. Within seconds, he spotted the whale, still casually floating about.

Gohan sighed inwardly as he contemplated the best course of approach. Videl was telling the truth when she said he was smart, but he hadn't exactly studied whales in depth before. The first thing he did was rule out an approach from the rear. He wasn't a masochist, and that was by far the grossest option. He could go in through the blowhole, but there was a chance he'd get sprayed out when he attempted entry. In the end, Gohan resolved to go in through the mouth. That was the safest, surest and least disgusting choice.

With a deep exhalation, Gohan steeled himself and swam towards the whale's mouth. Immediately, he was struck by just how enormous the animal was, especially after he'd shrunken in size. As he was now, Gohan wasn't even as big as one of the whale's teeth. He grimaced. _'This isn't going to be pleasant.'_

Now that he knew the point of entry, Gohan had to figure out a way to get the whale to open its mouth. Various thoughts flashed through the demi-Saiyan's head, including tickling the beast, waiting for it to open its mouth on its own, and hitting it.

He instantly ruled out that last option, as he didn't want to cause the majestic mammal any unnecessary harm. He could play the waiting game, but he had no clue as to how long that would take. Tickling the whale seemed the least troublesome option, so that was what Gohan decided on in the end.

The demi-Saiyan swam towards the underside of the creature, until he was right underneath its ridged belly. Channelling some ki into his hands, he began gently rubbing the blubber, cringing slightly at the strange, rubbery texture. After a few seconds, he heard a whistling sound coming from the head of the beast, and hurriedly swam towards it.

Thanks to his haste, he was able to swim right into the whale's mouth just at its teeth blocked off the entrance. Once inside, Gohan levitated himself in the air and scanned over his surroundings. It was quite dark and difficult to see, so he turned Super Saiyan; the golden aura cloaking his body acting as a mobile light source.

To Gohan, it looked as though he'd stepped foot inside a humongous cavern. The ridged, red insides of the whale's mouth gave the place an ominous appearance, which was only strengthened by the pitch black tunnel that was the mammal's oesophagus. The floor, which happened to be the animal's tongue, was pinkish in colour and looked to have a very rough and squishy texture which made the muscular teenager glad that he knew how to fly. It certainly didn't look like something he'd want to stand on.

Gohan looked over his surroundings once more, and saw that there was only one way forward – through the whale's gullet. The exit was blocked off by two rows of long, thin teeth, which made the boy wonder as to just how he was going to get out of here once he found the Dragon Ball. He then shook the thought from his head. He'd cross that bridge once he got to it.

With a weary sigh, Gohan sped through the whale's cavern-like mouth and shot down its oesophagus. The light from his transformation illuminated the way, and he tried not to focus on his surroundings. The path he was travelling down was quite narrow, which meant it wouldn't take too much for him to touch the sides. While Gohan was by no means squeamish given all the shocking things he'd witnessed in his relatively short life to date, he still had no desire to rub up against a whale's innards.

Before too long the demi-Saiyan finally reached the end of the tube, and when he emerged from the passage he found himself inside another enormous area. With the golden light from his transformation, Gohan was able to make out a pudgy, reddish wall, and a floor that looked to be the exact same texture. It reminded the boy of a bouncy castle, and this comparison was only accentuated by the fact that the floor was… vibrating?

It wouldn't take a genius to figure out what this place was. Heck, the rancid smell alone almost gave it away. This what the whale's stomach, and it had clearly gone on an eating binge lately, if the scattered objects littering the area were any indication. Crushed metal, bones of all shapes and sizes, and various plants had found a home in the large creature's stomach. There was even a missile, snapped in half, lodged among the trash.

Gohan pinched his nose in an attempt to escape the putrid odour, and scrunched his face in disgust. "How did I get roped into doing this?" he grimaced. An image then came to mind of a demonic looking Videl, complete with two horns, a pointed red tail, a vicious smirk adorning her pretty features, and clad in a tight, red leather outfit. "Oh, that's how." He then blushed vividly at how erotic the Videl in his mind looked, and shook his head to get rid of the picture. This was not the time to be having such thoughts.

Fortunately for the boy – or unfortunately depending on how one looked at it – his present surroundings made it incredibly difficult to get aroused to any degree. They made for a stark reminder as to just what he was here to do.

With a scowl marring his expression, Gohan lowered himself to the bouncy-looking red surface of the whale's stomach, and began scanning the area for any signs of a Dragon Ball. Since he had left the Dragon Radar with Videl, as he was unable to take it with him, he had to search for the treasured orange object the old fashioned way.

And he had to do it while being the size of a cockroach.

With the grimace never leaving his face, Gohan dug around through the rubble. He looked through the wreckage of a car – however the hell that ended up in here – but to no avail. He crawled through a forest of seaweed, but there was no orange ball hidden among the greenery. He scanned over rotting fish carcasses, but was only able to find more guts and bones, which he'd honestly seen enough of for one day.

Just as Gohan was running out of places to search, and just as the frustration within him was building, he found what he was looking for, inside an object he wasn't expecting.

The Dragon Ball was hidden deep within the broken missile, near the very tip of the dangerous cylindrical object.

Feeling some semblance of joy at the fact that he would be out of here shortly, the demi-Saiyan flew down the narrow metal shaft of the weapon, until he came to a stop just before the spherical orange object that so many people had sought after over the years. While a Dragon Ball would normally fit neatly into his palm, now it was just a tad taller than him in height, and when taking into account the overall circumference of the object, was far larger than Gohan's shrunken body.

The boy, with his glowing aura bathing him in a golden cloak of light, felt a strange sense of awe as he gazed upon the fabled ball of legend, five red stars painted immaculately into its pristine surface. Gohan had always marvelled at what the Dragon Balls were capable of, but never before had he seen one look so… mystical. Then again, that might've been largely due to the fact that it was currently larger than he was.

With that thought in mind, Gohan placed his hands on the Dragon Ball in an attempt to pick it up. Given the size comparison between the boy and the ball, this was no easy task, and the demi-Saiyan struggled to find a good grip with which to lift the object. Eventually, after several frustratingly long minutes, he was able to use the combination of his arms and shoulders to grasp the large ball and hold it above his head.

Gohan then emerged from the narrow interior of the missile, hoisting the Dragon Ball above him similarly to how his father would hold up a Genki Dama. The flashing thought caused a brief smile to tug at his lips, but it left as quickly as it came once he remembered he wasn't in the clear yet. He still had to find a way out of this place.

The frowning demi-Saiyan glanced around the sea beast's cavernous stomach. A few small openings could be seen along the stomach wall, along with a much larger one directly opposite from the oesophagus. This tube was a sickly, yellowish colour, and when Gohan moved in closer to inspect it, his face took on a ghastly shade of green and he suppressed the urge to vomit.

The stench from the opening alerted the demi-Saiyan to the fact that this was most likely the whale's anal tract. _'Well I sure as hell am not going through there,'_ he mused internally.

Just as Gohan turned around and made his way back toward the oesophagus through which he'd entered the creature, a barrier of skin appeared from the edges of the gullet that blocked his passage. _'What just hap-'_

Before Gohan could finish that thought, the area around him started rumbling. The floor and the walls shook intensely, as though an earthquake was happening in the belly of the beast. Since he was in the air, he was able to avoid the tremors, but he could still hear them; the sound reverberating through the walls. A whistling then reached the boy's ears.

Before he could gather his bearings, a horrific, brown, gas-like liquid bubbled to the surface from the floor of the stomach. Gohan's eyes widened. The rotten smell in the area increased to insane proportions, causing the demi-Saiyan to hold his breath.

He knew what was happening. There was only one possible way to describe it, and there was only one solitary thought that passed through his mind.

 _'Oh crap.'_

With the Dragon Ball held high above his head, Gohan flared his Super Saiyan aura and rocketed through the only available exit… the anal tract, just as the sickening brown excrement followed suit. With the disgusting liquid pursuing him with a ferocious intensity – as though it was a Satan City police officer and he was a donut truck – he sped through the narrow tube, taking an extraordinary amount of care to not touch the sides.

Thankfully, despite Gohan's minuscule size, he still managed to keep all of his powers, including his speed. Because of that, he was able to stay well ahead of the stream of excrement, and before too long he hurtled out of the whale's anus and manoeuvred upwards, managing to avoid the vicious geyser of putrid brown gas that spurted out of the sea mammal's rear end.

Once he was sure he was completely safe, Gohan allowed himself to exhale deeply and reverted back to his base form. He then activated the Micro Band and breathed out another sigh, this time of relief, at having returned to his normal size. After taking a few seconds to compose himself, the boy grasped the Dragon Ball firmly in his right hand and shot up out of the water.

Am amused Videl was sitting cross-legged in the open cockpit, a strange smile spread across her lips. "Did you have fun?" she asked.

Gohan merely glared at his friend, but it was a half-hearted one at that. "I am never doing that again," he exclaimed definitively, tossing her the Dragon Ball.

Videl caught the palm-sized object and looked it over with her curious blue eyes. "Wow… so this is what they look like," she mused in suppressed awe. "To think that something small contains so much power…"

Gohan rubbed his temples warily. "I need a break. I'm hungry." The image of a brown cloud of rancid, gas-like liquid then appeared in his head, and his face took on a gross shade of green. "Actually, no I'm not."

Videl seemed to have heard him, and faced the boy with a concerned expression. "Is everything ok, Gohan? I trust everything went well down there?" she enquired.

He shook his head to get rid of the disgusting picture. "Everything went fine," he stammered weakly.

"Then what's that?"

A worried Gohan followed the direction Videl's finger was pointing, and cringed visibly at the sight of a familiar brown liquid pooling at the surface of the ocean. The implications were evident to anyone with half a brain. The boy closed his eyes and rubbed his temples once more. "Please don't tell anyone."

Videl let out a small chuckle. "Don't worry, Saiyaman, your secret's safe with me… so long as you go take a bath. Somewhere clean. Like right now."

Gohan simply nodded in resignation, glad for his raven-haired friend's secrecy. If Krillin, Yamcha, or even Vegeta found out he'd just been crapped out by a whale, they'd never let him live it down. _'Man, you'd think with all my powers, searching for Dragon Balls would be a breeze. I bet Dad never had to do anything like this when he went hunting for them.'_

* * *

 **Omake – A Regrettable Reward**

Two costumed tykes strolled casually through the busting metropolis that was Satan City, paying no heed to the startled stares they were receiving from its denizens.

One of the boys, who happened to be clad in a blue and white outfit with a gold helmet and red cape, was munching on handfuls of popcorn from inside a large black bag he was carrying. Meanwhile, his friend, who wore a similar outfit, only black and green with an orange helmet, was slurping away at a chocolate ice cream.

Despite the fact that the two pint-sized superheroes, Saiyaprince and Saiyaboy, were very much enjoying their food, they were also devastatingly bored.

"You know, the crooks here could at least put a little bit of effort into their crimes," Trunks remarked in a displeased tone. "I don't have to put even a bit of effort into stopping them."

Goten nodded in agreement as he bit into his ice cream. "Yeah, these guys are pretty weak. I don't know how my big brother doesn't get bored."

As the pair made their way down the sidewalk, a commotion from further ahead of them caught the boys' attention. "Somebody help me! That man stole my purse!" came a shriek from the distance.

Within seconds, a tall, lanky man sped in the direction of the two young demi-Saiyans, an ugly grin marring his already unpleasant face. In his grip was a bright pink purse.

As the thief tried to run past the two child superheroes, Goten stuck his foot out, right into the path of the criminal. The man tripped over the extended appendage, and with a girlish scream rolled over a few times in the air before plummeting face first into the pavement. Blood pooled around his head, but a quick check of his ki signature revealed him to be very much alive – just knocked unconscious.

The two demi-Saiyans, having already gotten used to sights such as this, merely continued on their way. As they passed by the hysterical women who'd just had her purse stolen, Trunks spoke up, "I just wish there was something really awesome we could do that would get us recognised and rewarded, you know what I mean? The people in this city see so much crime every day that it's become second nature to them."

Goten, who was just finishing off his ice cream, nodded once more. "A reward sure would be nice. I hope it's food!" he exclaimed gleefully, throwing away his popsicle stick.

After a few more minutes of walking, in which Trunks was nearing the bottom of his bag of popcorn, the pair heard yet another ruckus from in front of them. This time, instead of a shriek of panic, the duo heard several yells of anger.

The two demi-Saiyans then saw a large rock fall down from the sky, and when they trailed its source they spotted a smirking, red-haired teenager standing atop an overpass and throwing objects at the cars below.

Trunks dug into his bag and withdrew a lone piece of popcorn, which he then hurled at the adolescent menace with astounding force. The little morsel of food impacted against the teenager's forehead, sending him flying backwards and landing on the hard gravel with a thud. He too was knocked unconscious.

Like before, neither of the two disinterested superheroes commented on the situation, and merely continued strolling down the sidewalk. The older of the two scrunched up his now empty black bag and threw it into a bin with an exasperated sigh.

After several minutes of mindlessly wandering the streets, hoping to find something interesting to do, the children's attention trailed towards a new source of commotion heard nearby.

"Run for your lives! The monster's going to eat us all!" one man was heard shouting.

"It's so hideous! We have to get away!" another man called out.

"Just think of the children! Won't somebody please think of the children!?" came another weeping voice, this time a woman's.

With equally curious looks, Goten and Trunks dashed towards the source of the ruckus, and when they reached their destination were treated to the sight of several hysterical people fleeing from Hungry Hungry Hippo's, Satan City's resident all-you-can-eat restaurant. Ignoring the rumbling of their stomachs at the thought of food, the pair of superheroes rushed inside, ready to kick some ass.

What greeted them once they ran through the door was a rather unexpected picture – a gigantic, green pterodactyl with a blue-coloured back was seated smackdab in the middle of the restaurant, tables having been pushed thrown aside to make space for his enormous girth. The beast was greedily wolfing down whatever bit of food he could get his grubby hands on. Chicken drumsticks, pork ribs, steaks, fries, fruits and pastas among other dishes were gobbled up without mercy. The pterodactyl was ruthless.

A pudgy, moustached man wearing a chef's hat rushed towards the costumed Goten and Trunks. "You guys are friends of Saiyaman, right?" he asked, urgency evident in his voice. At their nods he got down on his knees and bowed before the children. "Please save my restaurant! This monster is going to eat me out of business! Not to mention scare away, or worse… eat my customers!"

Trunks smirked cockily. "This should be a piece of cake. Ready to go layeth the smacketh down on his candy ass, Saiyaboy?"

"Yeah! Let's do it!" Goten cheered.

The pair of demi-Saiyans walked up to the giant creature, and the younger of the two pointed a finger towards it. "Hey you, Mr Bird, stop doing bad stuff, or we're gonna beat you up!" He then turned to his best friend. "Did I say it right this time?"

Trunks shook his head in response and sighed audibly. "No, dummy, you're supposed to threaten to kick his ass, not beat him up."

Goten tilted his helmeted head to the side. "But my mummy says I'm not supposed to say those words."

"Well she's not here to hear you, is she?" a grinning Trunks responded.

Before the younger boy could ponder his friend's reasoning, the pterodactyl had risen from his spot on the ground, and towered over the two kids. He spread his wings in a show of strength, making himself look even bigger than normal. "Just who the hell do you two brats think you are, interrupting my lunch?" he growled.

"I'm Saiyaboy, and he's Saiyaprince," Goten explained, pointing to himself and then to Trunks, who flashed the victory sign.

The pterodactyl grinned ferociously, revealing two rows of razor sharp teeth, and snapped them menacingly at the two children. "I don't care about your names! You're nothing but food to me!"

"But you just asked us who we were, you dumbass," Trunks deadpanned.

The pterodactyl growled at the insult and raised his massive hand, which he then slammed down in an attempt to crush the pair of boys. Unfortunately for him, they casually stepped out of the way of the attack, leaving his hand to impact against the ground instead, breaking the marble tiles of the restaurant.

"You two brats don't know who you're messing with! I'm Giran the Great, and I used to be a finalist in the Tenkaichi Budokai!" he exclaimed with a savage smirk.

"So what?" Trunks retorted. "That doesn't mean anything unless you won the thing. I bet you lost in the first round," he taunted with a smirk of his own.

Giran let out an ear-splitting growl and turned his full attention to the elder demi-Saiyan. He attacked the superhero with a barrage of wild strikes that were dodged with ease. "Grrr, stay still you little freak!" he demanded.

Trunks stopped evading and levelled a confident smirk at the pterodactyl. "Ok."

Giran cackled and raised his hand in an attempt to crush the boy once more. When his colossal fist slammed down on Trunks' helmeted head, a sickening crack was heard. After a few moments of silence, the pterodactyl lifted his hand, which was now red, swollen and bent out of shape. "Owwww!" he screamed, blowing on his wounded fist as though it would soothe the pain. "What the hell are you made of?"

"Tougher stuff than you," Trunks grinned, crossing his arms for emphasis.

Giran shook his injured hand before an uneasy smirk split his face. "Pfft, that was a fluke! Let's see you try and stop me from here!"

The giant bird then began flapping his wings and flew up into the air, breaking the roof of the restaurant as he ascended to the sky. Once he was about 20 metres high, he cackled maniacally. "What are you going to do now?" he taunted the still grounded Trunks.

"Hiya!"

The startled pterodactyl whipped his head to the side, and was met with the grinning visage of Goten, who was floating seamlessly beside him. "Are you some kind of monster?" he gasped out disbelievingly, sweat forming along his brow.

The small demi-Saiyan shook his head. "No, I'm the Great Saiyaboy. And this is how you hit someone!"

Goten raised his hand much like the pterodactyl had done before, and slammed it down atop his head. The force of the blow sent the scaly bird plummeting towards the ground like a cannonball. However, before he could impact against the floor of the restaurant, he was punted back into the sky by Trunks' clasped hands.

What followed was a several minute-long game of makeshift volleyball between the two superheroes, with Giran being the ball. The dazed pterodactyl was launched up and down an incalculable number of times, with the pair of children displaying an impressive knowledge of the basics of the game; bumps, sets and spikes were all on display. There was even a serve thrown in among the regular hits.

Once the heavily bruised Giran was barely conscious, Goten caught the pterodactyl by the tail and held him up as though displaying a hunting trophy. "Hey Trunks, I don't think he wants to play anymore!" he called down to his best friend.

"In that case, get rid of him," Trunks ordered, crossing his arms in satisfaction.

Goten saluted his fellow demi-Saiyan, and tightened his grip on Giran. He then began spinning around in the air while swinging the wailing pterodactyl by his tail. To anyone observing the scene from down below, it looked as though a green tornado had formed in the sky.

Once Goten had deemed his speed satisfactory, he let go of Giran, sending the giant bird flying off into the distance and out past the horizon with the speed of a missile. Impressively enough, he was still conscious if the fading wails were any indication.

"Come back anytime you want to play again!" Goten called out, waving at the disappearing bird.

Once Giran had vanished from sight completely, the young superhero floated back down to the ground and gave his best friend a high five. Both boys were satisfied with their performance.

The moustached chef who had requested help rushed over to the two children and started bowing profusely. "Thank you so much! You two have saved my restaurant! If there's any way I can repay you, please let me know!

Goten and Trunks shared a look, identical grins forming on their youthful features. "How about you let us eat here for free?" the older of the two asked politely. "We're pretty famished after that."

"Yeah," his younger friend added. "We're starving!"

The chef gave the two boys his widest smile. "Of course, my young saviours! It's the least I can do! Take a seat at one of the tables that hasn't been destroyed by that fiend. I'll have my men bring out all the food we have!"

As he set off towards the kitchen, Trunks looked at Goten and smirked. "Wanna have an eating contest?" he asked. "The loser has to play a prank on my dad."

His best friend grinned in response. "You're on!

* * *

The wheezing pair of Goten and Trunks waddled out of the partly-destroyed restaurant, patting their bulging bellies contentedly.

"Man, that meal was awesome!" the older of the two exclaimed. "I can't remember the last time I've eaten so much."

Goten nodded in response. "Yeah. It's not as amazing as my mum's cooking, but it was still pretty good." He then pouted. "It's just a shame our eating contest was a draw."

"That's ok. I'll just kick your ass next time we compete at something," Trunks stated confidently, taunting his younger friend, who just laughed at the statement.

"Thank you for the meal, Mr Chef!" Goten chirped, waving at the moustached man, who happened to be sweating profusely. "We'll come back here again sometime!"

"P-p-please do," the chef said, his voice straining with effort.

Once the two pint-sized superheroes had taken to the sky and disappeared from sight, the man turned back towards his restaurant and sunk to his knees. "They've eaten everything… everything! Even next week's stock!" He placed his head in his hands and started weeping. "That monster may have destroyed my restaurant, but those two have eaten me out of business! And they didn't even pay a single zeni!"

The 'H' from the 'Hippo's' portion of the sign suddenly crashed to the ground beside the crying chef, missing him by a few centimetres and denting the concrete of the sidewalk. It was almost as though some higher power wanted to add to the poor man's misery.

* * *

 **AN: This chapter ended up being a lot longer than I originally intended, but I just couldn't bring myself to cut anything out. Hope you all enjoy it. Personally, I've always preferred the original Dragon Ball anime series to the far more popular Dragon Ball Z. I just love the adventure aspect of the show, and I tried to channel that spirit into the chapter.**

 **That aside, while I had fun writing this chapter, I certainly didn't enjoy having to do research on whales to ensure what I wrote was factually accurate. A few of my Google searches included fascinating questions such as, "how do whales poop?", "what does a whale's stomach look like?" and "whale anatomy diagram".**

 **Doing this research reminded me of just how important it is to be extremely thorough with your Google searches, unless you want to see something mentally scarring. Even then, I'm pretty sure the whale pooping scene wasn't as factually accurate as possible, as I didn't want to look too deeply into the subject. I'll just chalk it down to whales in the Dragon Ball world being different than whales in the real world.**

 **The adventures of Saiyaboy and Saiyaprince will become a regular thing from now on, as long as I can keep coming up with interesting adventures/misadventures for the pair to take part in. If you have any suggestions for future scenarios regarding the two mischievous superheroes, don't hesitate to let me know. If I like your idea enough, I'll include it in the fic and give you the appropriate credit.**

 **Anyway, to finish off this AN, I'd like to thank everyone who favourited, followed and reviewed this fic. It's you guys who give me the most motivation to keep writing, and it's your feedback that helps me become a better writer. As always, any further feedback would be very much appreciated.**

 **Until next time!**


	9. Forest Hijinks

**Rising to the Challenge – The Legacy of Son Gohan**

 **Chapter 9 – Forest Hijinks**

Above the pristine ocean water, Gohan and Videl soared through the skies like a couple of eagles, the former of the two wearing a green backpack that contained one of the mystical Dragon Balls which served as the targets for their quest. Bathed in the sun's scorching rays, the pair of teenagers had opposing expressions carved into their features.

While Gohan was grumbling mutedly under his breath, Videl had a wide grin splitting her lips, the barest hint of a smirk visible on her face. And for good reason.

"So, Gohan…" the raven-haired girl trailed off, a mischievous gleam in her eyes, "I imagine it was quite cosy down there? Just you, alone in a long, dark tunnel. I bet it was just like exploring a cave."

Said boy groaned and crossed his arms in exasperation, while his friend laughed at his reaction. This was what the interactions between them had been reduced to for the past hour or so; Videl making fun of Gohan for getting crapped out by a whale, and Gohan trying to keep his cool despite her verbal barrage.

"When you told me you'd keep this a secret I thought that meant, you know, that you wouldn't talk about it," Gohan muttered with a frown.

Videl chuckled. "I did say that. It's why I have to make the most out of this golden opportunity to tease you about it while no one else is around," she chirped.

"Isn't this kind of treatment reserved for Sharpner?"

"Sharpner's not here, so you'll have to do," Videl stated casually, to which Gohan groaned once more.

"You're going after the next Dragon Ball," Gohan said firmly, his tone brokering no argument. "I hope you have to do something gross too… or humiliating, for that matter.

Videl snorted, but the grin never left her face. "That's fair enough. But what could be worse than being crapped out by a whale?"

Gohan said nothing in response, but the raven-haired girl was able to note the tiny quirk of his lips. The sight made her smile. She always enjoyed a bit of good banter.

A comfortable silence engulfed the pair as they continued their aerial journey across the sea, but it quickly evaporated along with whatever moisture was present in the air. Videl rubbed the sweat forming along her brow with her wristband, the desire to escape the blistering heat of the sun growing steadily stronger.

"Gohan, what's our next destination?" she asked her friend. _'And how much longer until we get there?'_ she added mentally, not wanting to voice her opinion lest she appear to be complaining.

Gohan's face scrunched up briefly in thought before he turned to Videl with a smile. "Fukurou Forest. It's just north of the Land of Korin, the guy whose beans you seem to be developing an addiction to," he informed with a slight teasing tone. "It's not that far away. Just another 15 minutes or so."

Videl resisted the urge to respond to the slight verbal jab. She'd given Gohan enough stick over his smelly escapade with the whale, so it was only fair to let the guy save some face. She'd pay him back for it later, though. In the meantime, the crime fighter was just happy to know that she'd be out of the heat before too long. "Are you familiar with the area?" she asked the boy.

Gohan shook his head. "Can't say I am. I never really had a reason to explore it. The only times I came here were to visit Korin, up on his tower," he explained.

"I see," Videl said simply. Inwardly though, she was pondering this new bit of information. This Korin fellow seemed very interesting. A cat god who lives in a tower and grows magic beans – that was the description Gohan gave her of the being responsible for healing her wounds. It sounded like something straight out of a fairy tale, or some kind of shounen manga, but Videl knew her friend was telling the truth. And truthfully, she hoped to meet Korin one day… both to thank him for the senzu beans, and to sate her curiosity as to just what kind of person he was.

Before too long, the two dark-haired teenagers were able to spot a hint of green in the distance. A grin spread across Videl's features, and the girl increased the flow of her ki and sped towards the horizon. She felt a slight drain on her reserves, but she paid it no heed. She was too eager to get out of the sun.

Gohan easily matched her speed and pulled up beside her, and gave his female friend a smile. "Someone's eager," he observed with a chuckle, which Videl returned.

"Honestly, I'm sick of seeing the ocean," she stated. "It's also too damn hot. I need some shade."

"Fair enough," Gohan remarked.

Within seconds, the pair of high schoolers came to a stop high above the trees, which were a welcome sight after several hours of seeing nothing but water. Gohan descended first, followed by Videl, who let out a sigh of relief once her feet touched the ground. Immediately, her ears were hit by a wide variety of sounds that she had come to be quite familiar with.

Leaves rustled gently in the slight forest wind, providing a constant, soothing song that added to the tranquil atmosphere of the forest. Various species of birds squawked and hooted up in their nests, signifying just how lively the place was. Crickets chirped from their hidden homes among the trees, denoting just how diverse the fauna of Fukurou Forest was.

Videl was broken from her pleasant musings by the beeping of the Dragon Radar. "Looks like the Dragon Ball is a bit further southeast," Gohan commented, examining the circular green device.

The raven-haired girl nodded. "Sweet. Lead the way."

Gohan did just that, and set off in the direction of their target. Videl followed suit, wondering just what they'd have to do to acquire this Dragon Ball. She certainly didn't think it'd be anything as… adventurous as shrinking oneself and going inside a whale's stomach. Then again, given all the weirdness that came with being around Son Gohan, she honestly wouldn't have been surprised if that was the case.

Videl didn't have to wait too long to get her answer, as after about half an hour of walking, Gohan came to a stop and glanced at the Dragon Radar in his hand. "The Dragon Ball should be just up ahead. However, it seems to be moving," he explained.

Videl's curiosity was piqued, so she eagerly followed her friend towards where the Dragon Ball was supposed to be. As they got closer, she was able to pick up the sounds of excited chattering, and lots of it. Before she could contemplate where it came from, a small, brown monkey dropped to the ground in front of them.

Due to her highly trained reflexes, Videl immediately assumed a basic fighting stance at the sudden disturbance, but after seeing the wide, curious eyes of the little primate, she relaxed her posture and returned the monkey's inquisitive stare.

"Hey there, little guy," Gohan chirped, kneeling and gently running a hand through the creature's furry hair. "You wouldn't happen to have something we're looking for, would you?"

The monkey responded well to the touch, letting out a few excited whoops while hopping about on its feet. It then scurried away, supposedly to where its friends and family were, but not before beckoning to the pair of teenagers to follow it.

Gohan and Videl set off after the monkey, with the female of the pair being somewhat startled by what was happening. She'd seen monkeys at the zoo before, but she'd never encountered one in its natural habitat. From what she'd read, monkeys could be rather cheeky animals. As a result, she couldn't help but be somewhat wary about what they were walking into, even if Gohan seemed so be getting along startlingly well with the little primate in front of them.

After a few seconds of walking, the two teenagers stepped into a small clearing amid the trees, and Videl's eyes widened at the sight before her. It was as though she'd stepped into some kind of monkey sanctuary, as the area was packed with the little mammals. Some swung energetically from branches, while others played what seemed to be a game of Tag. A few monkeys lazed about underneath the trees, napping contentedly in the shade, while their friends were happily eating from a pile of various fruits. There was even one monkey that was a fair bit larger than the others, sitting atop a branch and stroking its chin, looking as though it was pondering the mysteries of the universe.

"Wow…" Videl breathed out faintly, having never laid eyes on anything like this before. Being the sheltered city girl she was, this was a completely foreign situation for her… and a quite welcome one at that.

"Yeah, this is really something, isn't it?" Gohan chuckled, scanning over the clearing with his keen eyes. Several of the monkeys were intrigued by the two human visitors who had entered their home, if their excited gibbering was any indication.

Gohan seemed completely in his element among the monkeys, Videl noticed, as he had a serene smile on his face. She assumed it was one of the perks of living away from the urban jungle, as it allowed him to freely interact with the wildlife. _'Must be nice…'_

During Videl's introspective musings, Gohan had walked around the area a few times, before stopping to glance down at the Dragon Radar with a raised eyebrow. "It's just as I thought, these little guys have the Dragon Ball," he stated.

Videl smirked. "Well that should make getting it a piece of cake!"

"You've clearly never bartered with monkeys, but if you're so confident, go ahead," Gohan told her with a tiny quirk of his lips.

Videl scoffed. "Challenge accepted." The crime fighter unzipped Gohan's backpack and withdrew from it the Five-Star Dragon Ball. She then strolled over to the oldest looking monkey, who was perched on a tree branch, with a confident swagger in her step, and held out the mystical object. "My friend and I are searching for balls just like this one, and we've just found out that you have one in your possession. If it's alright with you, would you mind if we took it?"

At Videl's question, every single monkey in the vicinity stopped whatever they were doing and turned towards her. She felt a tiny bit of unease at the deafening silence, which was a stark change from the joyful atmosphere of before. The primates' blank stares only served to heighten that feeling.

She glanced over at Gohan, and saw that he wasn't panicking in the slightest. That strengthened Videl's resolve, so she turned back towards the elder monkey and matched his stare with one of her own.

After a few seconds of absolutely nothing happening, the wise-looking monkey gibbered something unintelligible to another monkey – the one who had brought them here, Videl recognised. Said primate hopped away past a couple of trees, and returned a few seconds later with a familiar orange ball in his hands. This one had three red stars painted on its shiny exterior.

A smile broke out on Videl's face. "That's the one!" She held out her free hand and beckoned for the monkey to hand over the Dragon Ball.

The furred mammal hesitantly made its way towards Videl and slowly extended its hands. The girl's smile widened, and when the ball was within her reach she reached out to grab it… only for the monkey to pull back the ball and give her the middle finger instead.

At that all the monkeys in the area burst out into fits of screeching laughter. Videl composed herself after her initial bout of astounded silence, and felt her face slowly reddening in fury. She levelled a fierce glare at the one responsible for the insult. The little primate was guffawing gleefully, clearly pleased with itself. Out of the corner of her eye, Videl saw Gohan giving her a teasing smile, as though he expected such an outcome. That made her rage increase tenfold, to the point where her teeth gritted against one another.

"Why you little!" With a fearsome cry, the raven-haired crime fighter lunged forward with outstretched hands in an attempt to free the Dragon Ball from the monkey's grasp. However, the animal leapt back with startling agility, and gave Videl a cheeky grin before turning around and sprinting out of the clearing.

Videl rapidly turned her head towards Gohan. "Go after him!" she ordered with urgency.

However, much to her displeasure, the spiky-haired boy merely shook his head. "Oh no, we agreed that you'd be one to go after the next Dragon Ball."

Videl shot Gohan her trademark glare, to which he reacted with a raised eyebrow. "Hey, be glad you don't have to shrink yourself to the size of a cockroach and go inside a whale's stomach," he said amusedly.

Damn. He had her there. And she did agree that it was only fair for her to go after the next Dragon Ball… even if the sheer concept of chasing a monkey was quite humiliating. But she was a girl of her word.

With a resigned sigh, Videl focused on the spot where the monkey had sped off into the forest, and furrowed her brows. "I don't suppose I can use the Dragon Radar for this?" she asked her friend.

Gohan stroked his chin contemplatively. "You could… but I have a better idea." At that he received Videl's full attention. "We can turn this into a training exercise of sorts, if you're up for it. This would give you a perfect chance to practice your ki sensing, and maybe you'll find it easier this time since you have a goal to work towards."

Videl pondered his suggestion. She did agree that it seemed like the perfect time to refine this aspect of her training, which was something she'd been struggling with to date. The concept required a lot more mental focus than flying, which Videl had gotten the hang of fairly quickly. But it was a pretty neat ability, and one that she wanted to learn as soon as possible.

However, it would also make chasing after the monkey a lot harder.

Then again, she was Videl Satan, and she never backed down from a challenge. "I'm game," she exclaimed confidently, throwing the Five-Star Ball back to Gohan and slamming a fist into her palm.

Gohan smiled. "I knew you would be." His expression then turned more serious. "Remember what I told you: reach out with your ki, and try to lock on to your target. Don't try to picture them with your eyes, but try to focus on their ki signature. You want to figure out what their ki feels like, not what they look like, and remember that feeling."

Videl nodded, absorbing all the information her mentor was giving her. She'd heard all this before earlier in the week, when Gohan had first attempted to teach her ki sensing, but it was always good to hear it again. After all, repetition was one of the key aspects of studying martial arts. She then took a deep breath. "Here I go."

Freeing her mind of all errant thoughts, Videl reached out with an invisible wave of ki. She immediately winced as her senses were assaulted by a barrage of foreign energy signatures. She couldn't make heads or tails of which signature belonged to who, nor could she calculate just how large each individual ki signature was. All she could feel was that there were a lot of them.

"Take a few deep breaths to compose yourself, then try again," Gohan suggested gently. "Don't break your focus, or else you'll just get overwhelmed again."

Videl did as she was told, and after a few tense exhalations spread out her ki once more. This time she made sure to not drop her concentration, and didn't retract the wave of ki she was exuding. Like last time, she was able to sense a smattering of indistinguishable ki signatures, all clumped together in one area. Because Videl hadn't retracted her invisible wave of ki this time, she didn't get overwhelmed by what she was sensing. It was still slightly disorienting, but she didn't falter. After a few seconds of this, she was able to feel a slight headache forming, and with a frustrated groan lost her focus.

"Don't be so disheartened, you're getting there," Gohan explained with a smile. "There are a lot of ki signatures in this clearing, so it's only natural to find ki sensing difficult. That's why it's good for practice. Now that you've gotten a feel for spreading out your senses, you have to narrow them down and focus on a single individual. To do this, it's best to be as close as possible to your target."

Videl nodded at the explanation. That made sense. With a newfound confidence, the female martial artist strode towards where the monkey had run off with the Dragon Ball. Having already had their moment of entertainment, the other monkeys in the area lost interest in what the two human teenagers were doing and returned to their own business.

Paying the large group of primates no heed, Videl stepped out of the clearing with Gohan following close behind her. Once she was far enough away that she couldn't hear the chattering of the monkeys, she extended her senses yet again. It was a much more pleasant feeling this time around, evidently due to the lack of numerous ki signatures around her. Videl could feel Gohan's presence beside her, but unfortunately she wasn't able to put a number to just how much energy he was exerting.

However, Gohan's ki aside, Videl wasn't able to feel anything else. The thought made the girl frown, and she suppressed the growl that was bubbling up in her throat. Getting frustrated now would only set her back even further, so she took a few more breaths to calm herself down and continued walking through the forest.

Gohan said nothing from his spot beside her and simply matched her pace. Videl took that as a wordless challenge that he was expecting her to find the cheeky monkey that had run off with their Dragon Ball by herself. He had explained to her the required steps, so now it was her turn to get the job done. Inwardly, she was thankful that the boy had such confidence in her.

Still, the longer the two teenagers walked through the forest without having found anything, the more disheartened Videl became. She'd kept up a sphere of invisible ki that covered her immediate vicinity, but she wasn't able to lock on to the monkey they were searching for. If only she could get another look at the primate… if only there was a visual presence that she could lock on to with her senses. That would make things so much easier…

Luckily for Videl, her wish was granted, as after only a few more minutes of walking, the target of their search jumped down from a tree branch, the Dragon Ball in one hand and a half-eaten banana in the other. Videl stopped dead in her tracks, unwilling to make any extreme movements until she had firmly gotten a hold of the monkey's energy signature.

The raven-haired girl reduced the size of the invisible ki sphere surrounding her, and tried to compress it around the lone monkey that stood before her, disinterestedly eating away at its banana. She could feel it working, as the animal's mental signature began forming in her mind. Still, it took quite a bit of effort to narrow her focus onto one individual, and due to this immense concentration Videl was nearly hit in the face with a banana peel that the mischievous mammal had thrown at her. It was only the crime fighter's well-honed reflexes from years of martial arts training that allowed her to tilt her head to the side, avoiding the slimy object.

For a brief moment, Videl had lost her focus, but she quickly regained it at the sound of the monkey's boisterous laughter. Unfortunately for the little creature, its provocations only served to tick her off even further and strengthen her resolve. With a stern glare across her pretty features, the girl narrowed her sphere of ki to the point where the only thing it surrounded was the monkey itself.

"You're mine."

With a battle cry of sorts, Videl lunged at the monkey with outstretched arms, only for it to leap back out of her reach, turn around, bend over, and wiggle its backside in her direction. The startling action caused her to halt her pursuit. _'Did I just get mooned by a monkey?'_

In her flabbergasted state, Videl almost missed the cheeky primate speeding off further into the forest. However the agitation she was feeling towards the monkey was far too great, and as a result her senses were firmly locked onto its ki signature. With her rage fuelling her adrenaline, Videl shot after the monkey in a sprint, trying to ignore the weariness in her limbs from the weighted clothing she was wearing.

She swiftly manoeuvred around several trees, and when there was a relatively clear path in front of her she picked up speed. All the while, she remained focused on the mental picture of the monkey, spurred on in her chase by thoughts of triumph.

After two minutes of pursuit, a slightly panting Videl picked up a flash of brown in the periphery of her vision. She breathed in through the nose and out through the mouth a few times, regaining some energy in the process, then quickened her run even more, to the point where she was now sprinting through the forest at her maximum speed.

Unbeknownst to Videl, she was subconsciously pumping ki through her legs, quickening the rate at which they were moving.

The flash of brown in the distance got even closer, and subsequently became larger as a result of the lessening distance between the two. Where once Videl could see only the swinging tail of the monkey, she could now make out its furred back, and the circular dome of its head. The primate glanced backwards and its eyes widened, presumably in shock, before facing forward once more and attempting to hasten its run.

Videl gave a sharklike grin at the sight, a predatory gleam in her cerulean orbs. "You're not getting away from me this time…"

As hard as the agile monkey tried, the human female's speed was simply too great for it. Slowly, the distance between the pair of runners closed, and just as the primate was coming within Videl's reach, it gave a panicked screech and scurried off to the side, where it ran up a tall tree and started swinging from the branches, the Dragon Ball held firmly in its tail.

 _'So, you think you're safe up there, don't ya?'_ Videl thought amusedly _. 'Well you aren't the only one who can climb trees!'_ Wanting to upstage the monkey at its own game, the raven-haired girl leapt up and grabbed onto a branch with both hands in an attempt to swing from it… only for the wood to snap, sending Videl plummeting to the ground and colliding with the grass with her rear end.

The fleeing monkey stopped its run atop a branch further ahead, and turned around to observe what had just happened. Seeing a grumbling Videl sitting on the grass, gingerly rubbing her backside, it let out several amused shrieks, before turning around and resuming its flight.

Videl jumped back to her feet, wincing slightly at the small amount of pain she was feeling. She quickly surveyed her surroundings, and was pleased to note that Gohan was nowhere in sight. She certainly didn't want her friend and mentor to know what had just transpired. That would've been far too embarrassing for her liking.

With that in mind, Videl checked that she still had a lock on the monkey's ki signature, and once this was confirmed she continued her pursuit. As she ran, the girl contemplated her next course of action. Swinging from the trees would probably have been doable had she not been weighed down by several kilograms worth of clothes. She could've continued the chase on foot, but the monkey was perfectly at home up on the branches, and if it chose to keep the high ground, she'd be hard pressed to get the Dragon Ball off it. Flying through the forest was another option, but it would've surely led to disaster, as she'd probably end up crashing into several trees, and she had no desire to turn into a human battering ram. There simply wasn't enough free space to manoeuvre in the air.

A lightbulb then went off in Videl's head, and her lips quirked into a smile. _'Of course! Why fly through the forest, when I can just fly above the forest!?'_ With a savage smirk now stretched across her face, the crime fighter jumped up and rose higher into the air, until she was hovering above several metres above the trees. After taking a few moments to scan over the area, not seeing an end to the forest, she felt out the monkey's ki and shot towards it.

With her being out of sight, Videl assumed the primate she was chasing after would be lulled into a false sense of security and stop running away. At that point, she would swoop down past the trees like an eagle and snatch the Dragon Ball from the its grasp. The plan was flawless.

With a grin illuminating her features, and a firm lock on the monkey's ki signature, Videl soared above the trees at a steady speed. After a few seconds she felt the primate slow down, then come to a complete stop. _'There!'_

Videl forced a quick burst of ki out through the soles of her feet and sped down towards her target, wincing slightly as the sharp branches scratched her bare arms and legs. She quickly spotted the brown fur of the monkey, who was perched on top of a thick branch, anxiously scanning the surroundings with its protuberant eyes. The disruption from Videl's descent alerted the little mammal to her approach, and with a surprised screech it dropped down from the branch it was standing on, but not before wrapping its tail around the thin piece of wood.

"Shit!"

Given the rapid speed at which she was swooping down, Videl was unable to halt her flight or alter her trajectory. As a result, all she could do before her inevitable collision with the ground was tilt her head downwards and cover her face with a cross-arm block.

A loud thud was heard as the petite female crashed upon the hard grass like a meteor, sending dirt flying and causing a human-shaped crater to form. Videl let out a pained groan, then yelped as she felt two small objects land on her back before jumping off. She could only assume that the monkey, to add insult to injury, had used her weary body as a trampoline.

The thought caused Videl to scowl ferociously. Ignoring the aches she was feeling across her entire frame, the crime fighter jumped to her feet and wiped off some of the dirt staining her clothes. She then looked up and saw a flash of brown in the distance disappear past the trees. "That little bastard…" she growled through gritted teeth.

With a spirited battle cry, Videl took off after the fleeing primate once more. The fatigue she was feeling now was a lot more noticeable than before. Being on her feet for so long, and then expending even more ki flying, had really taken its toll on her stamina. Must to her displeasure, she could feel her ki reserves dwindling, although she did feel like she had enough left in the tank to catch that damn monkey.

Not long after she had continued her pursuit, however, Videl came to a grinding halt as a sudden explosion was heard from several metres ahead. The boom from the blast was almost deafening, forcing girl to wince and clasp her hands over her ears. Thankfully, she was far enough away from the explosion to escape relatively unharmed.

Her eyes then shot open. "The monkey!"

With her heart pounding rapidly, Videl wiped the sweat that had formed across her brow from the heat of the explosion, and raced towards where the blast had happened, being able to make out a pillar of thick, grey smoke wafting into the atmosphere. After swiftly dodging several trees in her path, she burst into a large, dimmed clearing and immediately felt an unpleasant foreign substance enter her lungs, causing her to start coughing.

A sense of panic flooded Videl's system at the absence of visibility and her sudden lack of air, and her heartbeat quickened once more. As she felt her consciousness begin to fade, a comforting presence suddenly popped up beside her.

"Hiyaa!"

A new bout of warmth hit Videl, only this one was far more pleasant than the one from the explosion. The smoke clouding the area dissipated almost instantly, revealing the gi-clad form of Son Gohan; feet shoulder width apart, fists clenched and a serious expression gracing his handsome features. A tangible aura of invisible flames licked at his muscular body, making it look as though he were ablaze.

Before Videl could further admire the statuesque sight before her very eyes, Gohan swivelled his head in her direction, and his concerned onyx orbs met her dazed cerulean ones. "Videl, what happened?"

The girl shook her head in an attempt to get her bearings. "I don't know," she mumbled wearily. "One moment I was chasing after the monkey, and the next I was nearly sent flying by an explosion that came out of nowhere!"

Gohan's frown deepened. "Where's the monkey?"

Videl's brows knitted in concern as she attempted to feel out the primate's ki, only for her eyes to widen. "I can't feel its ki!" she gasped out worriedly.

"Damn it!" Gohan cursed. He put two fingers to his forehead and shut his eyes, a look of concentration replacing the one of anger he had before. All Videl could do was stare at her friend in awe, finding his concern for even the smallest of creatures touching.

A few seconds later, Gohan's eyes opened and he turned his head to the left, near the edge of the clearing. "It's over there!" he exclaimed, running off in said direction. Videl followed after him with laboured breaths.

The two teenagers soon stumbled upon a rather grisly sight, and the female of the pair couldn't help but shed a tear at what she saw. The monkey she had been chasing after was lying on its back, completely unconscious, with a look of pure agony etched into its visage. One of its legs was charred black and bent at an unnatural angle, looking as though it would disintegrate at the slightest touch.

Its other leg, though, was what shocked Videl the most, and caused a sickening feeling to well up in the pit of her stomach… because it was nowhere to be seen. All that was there was a bleeding stump at the monkey's thigh. "Oh, Kami…"

A now panicking Gohan lowered his ear to the wounded animal's chest, then cursed once more. "Its heartbeat is almost non-existent. Damn it!" He placed two fingers to his forehead one more and concentrated. This time, the look on his face was far more intense, and Videl could spot a bead of sweat trailing down his temple. "It's no use! I still can't do it!" he muttered to himself.

The boy then reached into his pocket and a let out a sigh of relief as he extracted a familiar brown sack. He then knelt down beside the monkey and fed it a senzu bean from the bag, massaging the little mammal's throat in order to force it to swallow.

A stunned Videl watched as the horrific burnt skin marring the animal's leg seemed to clear, restoring it to its usual furry brown. A sickening crack was then heard, which caused her to wince, but not before seeing the broken appendage snap back into place. The blood pouring like a faucet from the monkey's mutilated stump of a leg also stopped its flow and hardened, after which a new layer of furry skin grew over the wound. The limb had not grown back, unfortunately, but the wound was completely cauterised.

The monkey's chest – previously almost unmoving – began rising up and down in a steady rhythm. The sight caused a slight smile to tug at Videl's lips. Gohan seemed to share her joy, as he too had a relieved expression on his face. Videl felt her own heartbeat quicken as she observed her friend soothingly stroke the monkey's arm, as it had just woken up and was looking at him in confusion.

"Don't worry, you're alright now," Gohan told the primate, which then scanned over the area with wide eyes. Its gaze then found its own severed leg. The monkey stared blankly at where the appendage used to be for a few seconds before its eyes became downcast, and it let out a mournful wail.

Videl felt her heart go out to the poor little animal. Shortly before this it was so happy, cheeky and full of life, and now it looked dead inside. Just how had this happened?

Gohan frowned at the sight and gently picked up the monkey in his arms. He then turned to Videl and his features hardened. "I'm going to take this guy back to his family. I'll be back shortly. Don't go anywhere or do anything until I return." Videl was about to speak up in protest but, much to her surprise, Gohan raised a hand to stop her. His stern expression dropped and was replaced with one of almost tangible concern. "Please, Videl, until we find out what happened here, I don't want to risk you getting hurt… not again."

The crime fighter relented at the heartfelt admission from Gohan, and with an exaggerated sigh she crossed her arms. "Well alright then, since you asked so nicely. You better be back soon," she stated with a smirk.

Gohan's lips tugged upwards ever so slightly. "Count on it." Then, without warning, a sudden white aura sprang to life around the spiky-haired boy, creating a fierce torrent of wind that almost knocked Videl backwards. He then disappeared from sight, leaving visible distortions in the air where he rocketed through the forest.

After she got over her brief bout of shock, Videl mirthfully shook her head. _'Show off.'_

She then scanned over the area with eager eyes. Gohan told her not to go anywhere, but there wasn't any harm investigating from a safe distance. Besides, surely Videl had a lot more experience than Gohan in this regard, given how many times she'd helped out the police with their own criminal investigations. For all the spiky-haired boy's freakish talents, this was her area of expertise.

Now that the strange smoke had cleared, Videl was able to get her bearings, and saw that she was standing in a massive clearing walled in by trees. What was odd, though, was that the clearing was completely empty. All there was to see was a large patch of dark green grass. She couldn't help shake the feeling that this all felt somewhat unnatural. With a frown, Videl knelt down and ran her hand through the grass before pursing her lips. The grass didn't feel soft against her skin, nor did she feel tiny prickles along her fingers, as one would ordinarily expect. Instead, it felt hard and brittle, almost like plastic.

Videl pursed her lips. Upon closer inspection, the patch of grass in the clearing was a slight shade darker than what she'd become accustomed to in Fukurou Forest. There was something strange going on here…

Before she could ponder this further, a sudden gust of wind almost sent the girl tumbling to the ground, but she was able to steady herself. With narrowed eyes, Videl glared at the grinning face of Son Gohan. "You look quite pleased with yourself," she muttered.

Gohan chuckled. "The monkey's going to be fine. It's in a state of shock, but it's going to make a full recovery… other than its missing leg of course." His smile lessened. "Honestly, I've never seen what effect a senzu bean has on someone who'd just lost a limb. I didn't know whether it was going to cauterise the wound or regrow the leg. Guess I got my answer."

Videl nodded, pleased that the monkey was going to be alright. She just hoped the normally excited and active animal could adjust to living with one leg and regain its usual vigour.

"Anyway, I see you're doing some sleuthing," Gohan remarked in an amused tone. "Why am I not surprised?"

Videl smirked. "Because you know me too well," she stated proudly. Her features then hardened. "I've uncovered some troubling information. This clearing is filled with artificial grass. And that explosion from earlier… I think it was a landmine."

Gohan's brows furrowed. "You sure about that?"

"Yeah," Videl answered. "It would explain the smoke, and why it was activated by touch. Seems our monkey friend stumbled across one when he was running away from me and got his leg blown off." She let out a weary sigh and rubbed her forehead in frustration.

"Videl, you can't blame yourself for what happened," Gohan said in a serious yet comforting voice, kneeling down beside her and gazzing deep into her eyes. "There's no way you could've known about the mines. And you're not the one who convinced the monkey to run away with the Dragon Ball. It did that one its own."

"I know, but if I'd just caught up sooner it wouldn't have gotten hurt." She sighed once more and averted her gaze; Gohan's piercing onyx orbs, full of concern, making her heartbeat quicken.

"By that logic, I'm to blame as well," the boy said, causing Videl to look at him oddly. "After all, if I hadn't challenged you to chase after the monkey then this wouldn't have happened."

Videl shook her head. "It's not your fault."

"Nor is it yours," Gohan reassured, a warm smile now stretched across his lips. "Whether we like it or not, these things can happen. Had we known about the mines, obviously we wouldn't have let this happen. But like I said, there's no way we could've known."

Gohan's speech had raised Videl's spirits a fair bit. Now that she was feeling better, she stood up straight and returned her friend's smile, inwardly thanking him for his pep talk. Truth be told, she felt a bit silly for getting upset. Gohan was 100% right. There was no way either of them could've known the monkey would get injured. Still, she wasn't used to anyone getting hurt on her watch, be they human or animal. In the meantime, she would train twice as hard to ensure something like this never happened again. Plus, there was one bright side to all this.

"So now that we're here, I take it we should check out what's going on?" Videl suggested.

"Of course," Gohan replied sternly. His now narrowed eyes surveyed the clearing intently before he let out a small sigh. "In a space this large, it wouldn't make sense for there to be just one landmine. There'd have to be several."

"There's also the question of why this place is a minefield," Videl added. "The mines, and the artificial grass, have got to be hiding something."

Gohan nodded. "My thoughts exactly. The first thing we should do is clear out all the mines."

Videl raised an eyebrow. "And just how do you plan on doing that?" she enquired. "Unless you have x-ray vision, we don't know exactly where these mines are located."

"There's no need for that," Gohan said, scratching the back of his head. "All we need to do is blow them all up. A few ki blasts from above should take care of the minefield."

Videl stared at her friend blankly, unwilling to believe that he'd make such a suggestion. The more she thought about it though, the more she realised it was a brilliant idea. Simple, but brilliant. A grin slowly spread across her lips. "I'm not going to turn down the chance to blow those damned things to hell."

Gohan chuckled. "Come on then."

With that he floated up into the air, Videl following suit. The pair of teenagers stopped their ascent when they were about 50 metres above the ground, and hovered over the forest.

"This should be high enough," Gohan stated.

Videl nodded and turned to her friend with an eager expression. "Can I start?"

"Go ahead," he responded with a smile.

Videl's grin widened as she held out one hand and then seamlessly channelled a small bit of ki through her arm. As the simmering blue energy coalesced in front of her palm, she felt a few beads of sweat slide down her temple. With eyes narrowed in concentration, Videl ignored the slight amount of exertion she was feeling and let loose a small sphere of ki which sped towards the ground like a baseball. Upon impact a thunderous boom was heard, followed by a large explosion and subsequent shockwave that sent Videl careening backwards and crashing into a wall of solid steel.

Clapping her ears a few times, the raven-haired girl craned her neck upwards to see what had stopped her, and was met with Gohan's concerned gaze, a frown marring his normally cheerful face. "Sorry about that. I forgot you aren't used to these kinds of things."

Videl waved off his worries and gave him a small smile. "Don't worry about it. If I'm going to be part of your world, I need to get used to this stuff, right?"

"I suppose you're right," Gohan chuckled in response.

Before she could say something further, Videl felt her throat constrict as smoke clouded her vision. She quickly brought her hands to her neck as a reflex action, but it proved to be unnecessary as a quick flare of Gohan's aura dissipated the wispy vapour.

"W-what the hell was that?" Videl gasped out. "That's no ordinary smoke! I couldn't breathe, and felt like I was losing consciousness!"

"You're right. It seems like it has some debilitating, almost poisonous properties," Gohan exclaimed sternly, his brow creased in worry as his dark eyes trailed over her pale features. "Are you alright? Are there any lingering effects?"

"I'm fine, trust me," Videl said, hoping to calm the distressed boy. "I hardly feel the pain anymore. Whatever the smoke is, it doesn't seem too dangerous without prolonged exposure."

After a few seconds, Gohan's expression softened and he exhaled audibly. "If you say so. But you should still get yourself checked out, just in case."

Videl smiled warmly, touched by his concern. Then again, she expected nothing less from Gohan. "Alright, I'll go get have a check-up done if it'll make you happy."

Gohan returned her smile, before his visage turned serious. "In any case, this poison needs to be dealt with before more people get hurt." He then motioned for the girl to rise into the air. "You might want to stay clear of this. It'll just take a moment."

Videl knew what Gohan was about to do, and so she didn't protest. With a nod at her friend, she levitated higher until she was far above the trees, then came to a halt and observed the scene below.

Her eyes widened ever so slightly when she saw Gohan repeatedly thrust his arms forward at blinding speed, unleashing a machine gun-like barrage of tiny ki blasts at the ground. The resulting explosion was loud – much louder than when the monkey triggered the mine – and the subsequent smoke cloud was enormous. Luckily, Gohan was there to flare his aura brightly, blowing away the toxic material once more.

Almost instantly, the clearing was devoid of the fumes, and Videl could make out a charred, dirty ground where the fake grass once lay. She floated down beside Gohan and gazed over the destruction. Within seconds, her keen eyes picked up on an unnatural flash of silver.

"Hey Gohan, do you see that?" she asked, pointing at the out-of-place colour.

"Yeah, I do. I've heard of something like this before…" he trailed off, his voice deepening.

Videl was taken aback by his harsh tone. What could he have experienced in the past to prompt such a reaction? Before she could voice her queries, Gohan shot off towards the target of his anger, causing her to follow suit.

Once she reached him, she turned her gaze towards the object that had caught their attention, and her eyes shot open at what she saw.

The two teenagers seemed to have stumbled across some sort of hatch etched into a larger slab of metal. It looked sleek and smooth, and seemed to be very sturdy. There was a large, ornately shaped handle right in the centre of the circular entranceway, which was covered by a strange, black material.

"Well, that's not suspicious at all," Videl remarked sarcastically after a few seconds of stunned silence.

Gohan ignored her attempt at humour and narrowed his eyes even further. "Whatever's down there can't be good. We have to check it out."

An amused smile formed on Videl's face, her curiosity piqued by Gohan's attitude. "What's got you so riled up?" she asked.

Gohan's features softened and he let out a small sigh. "In the past, a couple of my friends discovered a secret lab built into a mountain. It was run by a mad scientist who was planning to take over the world. It, uh, brings up some bad memories."

"Whoa, that's pretty heavy," Videl said, deciding to file that information away for a later time. She then gave her friend a comforting pat on the back. "Don't worry, I'll be here to protect you this time if there's anything nasty down there," she joked.

Gohan chuckled. "Thanks Videl, I'll be counting on you."

The raven-haired girl grinned in response, glad to have lightened Gohan's mood. She then stepped towards the hatch and reached down to pull it open, only to recoil in shock the moment her skin touched the metal, as a surge of electricity shot through her body. "Ouch!" she cried, madly waving her hand around like it was on fire.

"Videl, are you ok?" a worried Gohan asked as he rushed to her side.

She shook off the boy's concerns and glared down at the electrified object. "You son of a bitch!" Thrusting out her hand, Videl fired a basketball-sized ki blast at the accursed door. Once the small explosion and subsequent smoke dissipated, the furious teenager seethed at the sight.

Her rage-fuelled attack had done nothing. It didn't even leave a dent in the metal. She was about to walk over and kick the hatch, but Gohan was quick to grab her arms and hold her back. "Videl, that's enough," he said sternly. Thanks to their close proximity, Videl was able to feel his breath tickling her neck. The effect was instantly calming, and all the anger she was feeling faded away, only to be replaced by a fluttering in her stomach.

She exhaled deeply and relaxed her body. "Ok, I'm good now. Thanks, Gohan."

"Don't mention it," he said softly, his breath once again on her skin, this time causing goosebumps to form along it. She then felt his grip loosen and his comforting warmth leave her, after which a chill ran down her body, as though it were protesting the loss of touch.

"Are you hurt? Do you need a senzu?"

Gohan's questioning broke Videl out of her trance, and she shook her head in response. "I'll be fine," she reassured him. "It was only a tiny electric shock. I've had worse."

Gohan pursed his lips in disapproval, but said nothing. His concern for her was touching, and the thought of how much he cared made Videl's lips quirk up into a tiny smile.

The boy then walked up to the hatch and frowned at it. He bent down and went to grab it, only for Videl to call out in shock, "Wait, what are you doing!?"

Gohan turned his head towards the girl and gave her a gentle smile. "Don't worry, this shouldn't have an effect on me."

Videl was about to protest, but decided to trust Gohan's judgement. He was, after all, capable of doing things beyond what seemed logical for any human being. Even so, she couldn't help but be somewhat nervous as Gohan grasped the hatch's handle and pulled.

He didn't get shocked like she did, but she was surprised nonetheless when Gohan ripped the handle off the hatch like it was nothing. As the boy held it in his hand a small smile spread across his lips. "Guess I pulled too hard."

"No kidding," Videl muttered, pleased that her friend didn't get electrocuted, but a tad envious at the ease of which he did what she couldn't. Just what was he made of? Steel?

"Hmm, what's this?" Gohan remarked, intently scanning his eyes over the now destroyed handle as he rolled it around in his hand.

Videl walked over to the boy and saw that the black stuff covering the metal was emitting tiny sparks, and upon closer inspection noticed clearly defined fingerprints in the leather-like material. Her eyes widened. "I recognise that!"

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I've seen something like that before!" she explained. "The Satan City police keep confidential documents stored away in safes that can be unlocked through either an electronic password or fingerprints. This is a fingerprint scanner." She then scratched her chin bemusedly. "Although the police ones don't electrocute people, as far as I'm aware."

"That makes sense," Gohan said, frowning down at the object in his hand. "This thing is too dangerous to be left lying around. Who knows how many innocent animals it's hurt." With a swift movement of his hand, Gohan opened up his palm and generated a small ball of ki that lasted for about a second. When it dissipated, the handle was nowhere to be seen.

Videl palmed her forehead. "Gohan, you doofus, you didn't have to destroy it! We could've taken it to the cops and had them scan the prints to see who's behind all this!"

Gohan stared at her blankly and blinked a few times before scratching the back of his head and giving a nervous chuckle. "Oops."

His cheeriness, even when he was embarrassed, was infectious, and Videl couldn't help but let out a melodramatic sigh in an attempt to stifle a chuckle of her own. "Guess we have no choice but to go explore whatever is underneath that hatch," she said in a scolding but lighthearted tone.

"Like you'd want it any other way," Gohan teased back.

At that Videl did chuckle. "You know me too well." Her expression then turned serious. "But how are we going to get inside now? With the handle broken we-"

Her sentence was interrupted by what sounded like two cars colliding against one another. With wide eyes and a gaping mouth, Videl bore witness to Gohan punching a hole clean through the thick steel of the hatch, which he then ripped out of the ground as though it weighed nothing and placed on the grass.

"See? Nothing to it," he grinned.

After a few more seconds of astonished silence, Videl closed her mouth and rubbed her temples wearily. "I should've figured. You need to teach me how to do that."

"In due time," Gohan replied cheerfully.

Videl ignored the slight giddiness she felt at the thought that she too would one day be able to tear steel with her bare hands – she needed to keep her composure after all – and walked over to the now destroyed hatch and peered into the opening. Her brows raised slightly and she let out a whistle at what she saw – or rather, didn't see. "Whoever stays in this place is either a vampire, or a serious recluse," she remarked.

The hatch gave way to pure darkness, and Videl couldn't make out whether it led to a tube descending deep underground, or a large, cavernous room, or something else entirely. Nothing was visible. As tough as she was, the crime fighter couldn't shake the eerie feeling that washed over her. It was only fleeting though, as she instantly remembered just what kind of company she was with. The thought brought a smile to Videl's face.

"Are you having second thoughts?" Gohan suddenly asked, causing the crime fighter's smile to widen into a grin.

She gave the a gentle punch to the arm as if to say, "Are you serious?" and fearlessly jumped down the hatch, summoning her ki as she did so and steadying herself in the air.

Whatever weird, freakish thing was down this hole, she was with the epitome of weirdness himself in the Great Saiyaman. A feeling of excitement bubbled up inside Videl, washing away the last lingering traces of doubt she had as to whether this was a good idea or not. The sensation only intensified when she felt Gohan float down beside her. No matter what challenge she encountered, she was prepared to face it head on and thoroughly kick its ass.

She was a Satan after all.

* * *

 **Omake – The Brawl that should Never have Happened**

"Man, the people look like ants from up here."

"They are ants, Goten. They are ants."

Son Goten, clad in his Saiyaboy outfit, stepped back from the edge of the skyscraper he was standing atop of and tilted his helmeted head curiously at his best friend. "That's not very nice, Trunks."

"Yeah, I know. I just thought it sounded cool," Trunks replied casually, kicking the surface of the building with his boot and making tiny dents in the concrete. He too was adorned a costume, but his was of Saiyaprince, the second half of Satan City's newest crime fighting superhero duo.

Having been tasked with watching over Satan City while its two regular protectors were busy training, the pair of children had been hard at work stopping all manner of crimes ranging from assaults, to carjackings, to bank robberies, and everything in between. Not long into their crime fighting, the two demi-Saiyans found out that crime never slept– especially not in Satan City, which was the crime capital of the world.

Trunks moved to stand alongside Goten and peered down at the bustling city streets and packed roads, observing the hustle and bustle of daily life with a disinterested expression. Not even half an hour ago the pair of superheroes had saved an old lady from getting her pursue stolen – their third foiled mugging of the day.

"With me, you, your brother and his girlfriend watching over the city, you'd think the bad guys would know by now not to try anything," Trunks sighed melodramatically. "And yet they keep doing so. Every. Damn. Day."

"Are you bored of being a superhero?" Goten enquired.

Trunks shook his head. "No, I love kicking ass. But it'd be more interesting if the bad guys weren't so weak. Or so dumb."

"Yeah, I guess that's true," Goten agreed, mimicking Trunks' actions from earlier and unintentionally denting the roof of the skyscraper with gentle kicks. After a few moments of silence, he glanced over at his friend. "Hey Trunks, what's a girlfriend?"

The older demi-Saiyan was caught off guard by the question and did a double take, the shock causing him to teeter over the edge of the building. After a few moments of flapping his hands about he regained his bearings and gave Goten a bewildered stare. "What?"

"What's a girlfriend," Goten repeated innocently, his eyes brimming with curiosity.

Trunks stifled a snort at the younger demi-Saiyan's naïveté but quickly regained his composure. He had to play his cards right if he wanted to milk this situation for all it was worth. Clearing his throat, he straightened his back and stared down his nose at Goten. "Really? You don't know what a girlfriend is?" he stated incredulously, emphasising the shock in each word. "Geez, Goten, and here I thought you were smart."

Goten pouted and crossed his arms. "I am smart. I can name all the big animals that live near my house, and you can't!" he taunted, sticking out his tongue.

Trunks palmed his helmet and chuckled. "That's because you're a country bumpkin, you doofus, not because you're smart. I have much more important things to do than hang out with a bunch of stupid animals."

Goten gasped. "You take that back! They're not stupid, they're my friends! And they're a lot cooler than you are!"

Trunks snorted audibly, not even attempting to hide it. "Yeah right. I'll only acknowledge that if they can beat me in a fight. Which they can't. But anyway, that's beside the point," he added, trying to change the subject. "Just naming a few animals doesn't mean that you're smart, it just means that you have nothing better to do out in the boonies. What else ya got?"

Goten uncrossed his arms, anger seemingly forgotten, and stroked his chin as though deep in thought. After a few moments of contemplation he grinned at the older demi-Saiyan. "I got you in trouble with Miss Bulma that time you said a bad word! That sure was smart!"

Trunks shuddered at the memory. As punishment for using the word "crappy", his mother had made him train with his father in the Gravity Room, and Vegeta had put him through the wringer. While Vegeta didn't really care about Trunks' choice of language, Bulma had threatened him with sleeping on the couch if he let Trunks' behaviour slide. After that, Vegeta had dragged him by the ear into the Gravity Room, and taken him through a hellish training session in greatly enhanced gravity, in which his body was pushed to its limits.

Trunks didn't see what the big deal about having to sleep on the couch was, but his father was clearly affected by the threat. Maybe his parents' bed was so comfy that he couldn't go without it? Maybe he ought to test it out sometime if that were the case? He then shook the thought from his head. He still hadn't paid Goten back for telling on him, but he fully intended on doing so once he concocted a brilliant revenge scheme. In the meantime, he'd just wait for his best friend to let his guard down…

"That wasn't being smart, that was just you being a baby because I hurt your feelings!" Trunks retorted.

"I'm not a baby, I'm only one year younger than you!" Goten shot back, causing Trunks to chuckle.

"Clearly not in terms of intelligence."

Goten stared blankly at the older demi-Saiyan for a few seconds until the gears in his head turned. An uncharacteristic scowl spread across his lips. "Well, you're just a big meanie!"

Trunks let out a haughty laugh and placed his hands on his hips. "What are you gonna do about it? Tell on me again like a big baby?"

The son of Vegeta was caught off guard by a savage punch to the head that sent him hurtling off the skyscraper. However, he was able to steady himself in the air, and levelled a stunned glare at Goten, who was standing at the edge of the building, seething ferociously with his right arm extended and his hand clenched into a fist.

Trunks' mouth slowly morphed into an amused grin. "Is that all you got? My dad's training robots hit harder than you!"

Goten let out a vicious battle cry and flared his ki, then rocketed towards Trunks with his arms pulled back. "I'm gonna kick your butt!"

"Bring it on!" Trunks shouted back, bracing himself for an attack with a cross-arm block. However, much to his surprise, Goten didn't attack him with a punch as he expected; instead the younger demi-Saiyan crashed into him with a spear tackle that took the wind out of him.

The sheer force of the blow sent the two boys careening through the air and smashing through the glass window of an tall office building.

The hardworking businesspeople inside the establishment jumped up from their desks, startled by the sudden intrusion, and watched in sheer astonishment as the two costumed superheroes tussled on the floor of their workplace.

Eventually Trunks was able to break free of Goten's grip, and smashed an elbow into his back, making the spiky-haired boy gasp. Taking advantage of this, Trunks then shot to his feet and sent Goten flying out of the window with a side thrust kick to the chest.

Not even sparing a glance at the shocked workers, who were dumbfounded at what had just transpired, Trunks quickly sped off after Goten, immediately spotting him shooting towards the street below. With a cocky smirk and quick flare of his ki, he increased his speed and landed a double hammerfist blow on the younger boy's head.

Goten let out a cry of pain as his descent downwards was hastened by the attack, and then another upon colliding with a parked car, completely smashing the roof of the vehicle and squashing the interior.

He wasn't given a moment to recover as Trunks soared down from above like a meteor and unleashed a brutal barrage of punches to his body. This went on for several seconds, Goten wincing with each blow.

Just as the younger demi-Saiyan was about to power out of his predicament, Trunks decided to cease his assault, grab Goten by the legs, and then swing him around in a circle, creating a miniature whirlwind, before launching him into the distance.

Goten's small body shot across the road like a bullet, disrupting the onrushing traffic and creating a pile up of cars, then crashed into a women's lingerie store. Ignoring the shocked gasps of the onlookers, Trunks couldn't help but burst into a fit of hysterical laughter as a groggy Goten stumbled onto his feet, a lacy, black bra draped across his helmet.

The younger demi-Saiyan shook his head a few times to gather his bearings before eventually noticing the undergarment hanging off his head. With curiosity etched across his innocent features, Goten picked up the bra and held it in front of him, staring at it oddly. He wasn't exactly sure what it was, but Trunks' reaction implied that it wasn't anything good.

The thought caused the young boy to frown, so he scrunched up the bra into a ball, and then threw it with all his might at his best friend, who still hadn't recovered from his laughing fit. Due to being distracted, Trunks was taken by surprise as the sensual underwear collided with his face and sent him staggering backwards.

This surprise quickly turned to shock as he saw Goten pick up a taxi and hurl it at him. His honed senses kicking into overdrive, Trunks pulled back his fist and smashed it into the vehicle as it came towards him, breaking it in half with a deafening screech.

However, before he could muster a counterattack, Goten appeared before him and launched him into the air with an upwards kick, which he then followed up with a rapid flurry of strikes that sent the elder demi-Saiyan higher into the air.

An explosive burst of ki from Trunks allowed him to put some distance between him and Goten, and he took advantage of the brief lull in fighting to catch his breath. Goten appeared to do the same. After a few moments of this, the two boys engaged in a staring contest, matching excited grins adorning both their faces.

Just as they were about to charge at each other once more, a chilling ki froze the superheroes in their tracks, making their blood run cold.

"T-Trunks, do you feel that?" a pale Goten stuttered meekly.

Trunks gulped and nodded, fear emanating from his pores. "It's my dad… and he feels pissed..."

"But how did he find out?" the panicking Goten enquired.

Trunks cast his gaze down towards the street, and was able to make out a gaggle of reporters with video cameras pointed towards them, scrambling to report on the situation. He cursed under his breath. "Damn it, it's the press! Mum must have seen us on TV and sent Dad after us! And it looks like she interrupted his training!"

Large sweatdrops began forming along the brows of the two boys as they felt the furious ki of the prince of all Saiyans inch increasingly closer.

"Trunks, what do we do!?" Goten shouted, now livid with fright.

"The only thing we can do, Goten! We run!"

With that the two demi-Saiyans took off across the sky at blinding speed, hoping to escape the wrath of Vegeta. Inwardly though, both Goten and Trunks knew it was a futile endeavour, and that Vegeta would catch up eventually. It was simply a matter of delaying whatever punishment he had in store for them for as long as possible.

* * *

 **AN: Hi all! It's been a while. I apologise for the extreme lateness of my update, but ever since returning from my holiday I was hit with the mother of all writer's blocks, on top of several other issues that I had to deal with. I haven't completely gotten my mojo back, but I'm getting there, and hopefully the next chapter will come out a lot sooner.**

 **As always, I'd like to give a huge thanks to everyone who has favourited, followed and reviewed this fic. You guys motivate me to write more than anything, and without your support I doubt I would've been able to get this chapter finished when I did. Any further feedback would be much appreciated.**

 **Until next time!**


	10. Disturbing Discoveries

**Rising to the Challenge – The Legacy of Son Gohan**

 **Chapter 10 – Disturbing Discoveries**

The first sight that greeted Gohan and Videl upon floating down the mysterious hatch was pure darkness. All the two teenagers could see was the opening above them that led to the surface. The almost unnatural lack of visibility gave the whole place an eerie feeling, on top of the mystique that surrounded it.

"I don't suppose you've brought a flashlight?" Videl asked Gohan, who merely chuckled in response.

"No, but I have the next best thing," he replied, holding out his hand and generating a large ball of bright blue ki. The simmering energy slowly expanded outwards until it was about the size of a basketball. "Ki can be used to create a very faint light. It's nowhere near as effective as a flashlight, but it can provide a light in dark places if need be."

As if to elaborate, Gohan moved the ball of ki he was holding in a circular motion around his body, weakly illuminating the area around them. After a full rotation, a picture began to form of just where exactly the pair of martial artists were.

It appeared they had descended into a relatively small and tight chimney-like tunnel, walled in by the same metallic material that the hatch was made out of. The only path they could take from here was the downward one, and to whatever lay in its shadowy depths.

"Guess we have our destination then," Videl said, trying her hardest to keep nervous edge out of her voice. While she was still looking forward to the adventure, she couldn't help but feel a tad claustrophobic in this enclosed space.

She let out a tiny gasp when she felt a comforting heat wrap itself around her left hand. Gohan clasping her hand with his was somewhat startling, but a much-appreciated gesture, loathe as Videl was to admit it. And the darkness did at least one thing right in hiding her slight blush.

"Ready to go?" Gohan asked, the warmth in his voice matching that of his touch.

"You bet," Videl responded, her tone now strong and confident. She felt butterflies floating around in her stomach, no doubt due to her friend's proximity, but she ignored them. This wasn't the time to be acting like a gushing schoolgirl.

"Down we go then."

Videl felt herself get dragged down into the darkness as Gohan descended, but she quickly matched the pace of her own descent with his. All the while, his right hand, which still contained their only light source, was held outwards, paving the way down.

A few minutes of this went by before Videl spoke, "What do you expect we'll find down there?"

"Hmm," Gohan pondered out loud, "could be anything, really. When my dad was a kid, he, Bulma and Krillin uncovered a pirate's lair in an underwater cave while searching for the Dragon Balls."

Videl let out an impressed whistle at the tale. "That sounds like something straight out of a fairy tale. Did they have to fight undead pirate skeletons cursed by ancient gold?" she asked with a chuckle.

"No, they had to fight a pirate robot with a machine gun and flamethrower," Gohan admitted nonchalantly. Videl blinked, not at all phased by how absurd that sounded. "Oh, and they had to fight some weird blond guy with telekinetic powers who was also after the Dragon Balls," he added.

"Huh, how about that," Videl remarked, still unsurprised by the revelation. After all it, it wasn't the weirdest thing she'd been exposed to since meeting Gohan. "Well in any case, I doubt we'd have to worry about pirates down here. This place is definitely manmade, and with modern technology at that."

Gohan nodded. "You have a point. Although I have to wonder whether that's a good or bad thing…" he trailed off.

After a few more moments of comfortable silence, the tunnel became brighter, and this light only increased the further down the teenagers travelled, until their makeshift torch became unnecessary. The ball of ki Gohan was holding faded away into nothingness, and the boy halted his descent, Videl following suit. The two cast their gazes downwards, and both pairs of eyes instantly widened upon what was below.

"I guess I was right when I said whoever was staying down here had to be a major recluse," Videl muttered in shock. "They clearly don't seem to want any company."

"No arguments here," Gohan added, a slight hint of disgust in his tone.

Underneath the two martial artists lay a bed of grotesque metal spikes of varying sizes and shapes, looking as though they were crudely carved by some sadistic torturer. Among the razor-sharp instruments of pain were several skeletons – evidently disfigured if the broken and twisted bones were anything to go by. Whatever poor souls they belonged to didn't have a pleasant death by any means.

Videl felt a rush of sadness at the sight, and at the thought of how badly those people must have suffered. Her heart instantly went out to them. She didn't look away though; being a trusted ally of the police she had borne witness to many atrocious acts of human depravity, and as a result was mostly desensitised to such sights.

"Come on," Gohan beckoned, gently guiding Videl over the ground towards where a large platform free of any spikes rested. Along the way, the raven-haired girl scanned over the area, keen to get an idea of where they were.

After having left the narrow tunnel that led down from the surface, the two teenagers had found themselves in a large open space with a floor full of spikes. If Videl was to calculate how big the room was, she'd equate it to the size of her school classroom. It, like the tunnel, was manmade, also from the same metallic material as the hatch. Far across the room, where she and Gohan were heading, was a smooth brown platform with a metal door at the far end of it, that rested atop the bed of spikes. It was the only thing in this damnable room that didn't make the girl sick to her stomach with righteous fury.

However, much to the martial artists' shock, the moment their feet touched the platform alarms started blaring out of nowhere. The sound was deafening, causing Videl to instantly let go of Gohan's hand – which she was unaware she'd been holding the entire time – and cover her ears. To her further shock, she saw the metal panels on the wall by the door collapse into themselves, and from them emerge several destructive looking turret-like devices, all pointed in their direction.

"No!" Gohan shouted, his eyes brimming with almost tangible panic.

Videl instantly saw her vision darken as a comforting warmth engulfed her petite frame. The turret guns opened fire, letting loose with a cacophony of what seemed like never-ending thunderclaps. Whatever the guns were firing, they clearly weren't normal bullets.

Unbeknownst to Videl, Gohan had wrapped his arms around her and covered her smaller body with his own the moment he noticed the turrets on the wall were about to unload on them. Having initially expected to feel the harmless sting of bullets clatter against his body and roll helplessly on the ground, the boy was left surprised when he felt a slight burning sensation on his back from the repeated barrage of projectiles. It didn't hurt him, but it was getting increasingly hotter at a rapid rate.

Gohan grit his teeth in annoyance as a vein throbbed on his temple. Ever since discovering this blasted hatch his anger had been building. First it was the minefield that had wounded an innocent monkey and killed who knew how many other animals. Then it was the electrified trapdoor of a hatch that had hurt Videl. Afterwards, he was greeted by the sickening sight of a bed of spikes upon which several people had been brutally impaled. And now… now they had activated several hidden machine guns that were trying to riddle him and Videl full of holes.

As Gohan felt the sweat mount on his back, reminding him of just what would've happened to Videl had he not been there to shield her, his body rumbled in rage, and in one brief moment his eyes flashed teal. He buried his chin on top of the girl's silky raven hair, calmed slightly by its softness, and let out a sigh. "I'm sorry."

Then, with a yell of unbridled fury, Gohan let go of Videl, swung his body around, and sent forth an enormous kiai wave that crashed upon the wall like a tsunami. The sheer pressure of the invisible blast blew back the harmful, golden beam-like projectiles and utterly flattened the turrets from which they came. The steel wall and door, ordinarily impenetrable by conventional weaponry, weren't safe either, as Gohan's immensely powerful attack shot through them as though it were fired from a canon, instantly vaporising the sturdy metal and leaving a gaping hole were they once stood. Such was the force of the kiai that the ground above trembled – the earthquake reverberating through a large part of the forest – and the leaves on the trees shook.

The thunderclaps ceased, and silence reigned supreme; the only disruption to the quiet being Videl's heavy breathing and quickened heartbeat.

But it wasn't because she was frightened, or because she was concerned for her wellbeing. It was because the sight in front of her left her paralysed in shock. "G-Gohan… your back…"

The entire back part of Gohan's blue gi was gone, having been completely disintegrated by the turret gun fire, leaving the boy's muscular back exposed to the elements. Videl's eyes briefly trailed admiringly over her friend's powerful lats and well-defined traps, causing a light blush to form on her cheeks, but she quickly came to her senses as her mind put two and two together. Whatever lust she was feeling vanished, only to be replaced by a mixture sadness and gratitude.

The girl lightly pressed her palm against Gohan's reddened back, not yet sure whether he was feeling any pain. "Does it hurt?"

"No," Gohan replied, shuddering as Videl's soft finger ran gently down his spine.

That was all the confirmation Videl needed before she wrapped her lithe arms around Gohan's sturdy midsection and pressed her cheek against his skin. She let out a faint sigh as a jolt of strange sensations coursed through her being. "You saved me…"

"I'll always save you," Gohan said tenderly, grabbing her hands with his own and delicately stroking them with his thumb, as though they were a piece of fine porcelain. "I'll always be there to save you."

Videl said nothing in response and simply tightened her embrace, wanting to relish the feel of her warm new pillow – who clearly didn't have a problem with it – for just a bit longer. Eventually, she had to break the soothing silence. "From what I could gather, those guns fired lasers at us. How are you not hurt?"

"Ki shield," was Gohan's reply after what she thought was a moment of hesitation.

"Will you teach me?"

"Of course."

Videl let a smile spread across her lips. "Thank you… for everything." Before Gohan could reply, she let go of him and stepped away. She had gotten far too comfortable resting against his back. Normally that realisation would've scared the crap out of her, but she didn't care anymore. She was past the point of caring, at least for today. And that aside, it was about time they moved on.

Gohan sighed as he slipped out of the top half of his gi. "Another one ruined, and by a few laser guns? I hope Piccolo doesn't find out about this…"

He then pressed the red button on his watch and his tattered gi was instantly replaced with the colourful garb of his Saiyaman outfit. Videl frowned at this new development, a small part of her wishing Gohan would've chosen to walk around shirtless. At least then she'd have something pleasant to look at in this dreary underground lair.

"Come on, let's go," Gohan said, picking up the backpack he'd thrown on the floor when he moved in to protect Videl and heading towards the gigantic hole that he'd made.

Videl trailed behind the boy, shaking her head to clear the shade of red tinting her cheeks, and slightly mortified at the fact that she'd had such perverted thoughts. "That was some blast," she exclaimed, awe seeping into her tone.

Gohan chuckled. "Yeah, ki can do some pretty amazing things if you know how to use it. I'm just glad you're ok."

Videl's cheeks flushed once more at the sheer sincerity in the boy's voice, and she inwardly cursed herself for behaving like a giddy schoolgirl. It was so unbefitting of the calm, cool and confident demeanour that she had adopted for the entirety of her teenage life. No boy had ever invoked such feelings within her, and the thought terrified her to the core. How was she supposed to act? What was she supposed to say? What would her father say, for that matter? That last thought sent a shiver down the martial artist's spine and shook her from her musings.

After stepping past the destroyed wall, Gohan and Videl found themselves staring down a long corridor, walled in by the same steel plating as the previous room. That was where the similarities ended though, as two doors adorned the wall on the right side of the narrow space, while a solitary door was situated on the left. Down the very end of the corridor, near the isolated door on the left, was what looked like a crest of sorts. A blocky red K was etched into the middle of a black shield, above which lay two daggers crossed at the blades – much like the crossbones on a pirate flag – pointing upwards.

Videl narrowed her eyes at the sight, wanting to pound the ever-loving crap out of whatever sick bastard the crest belonged to. A quick glance to her side showed that Gohan bore a similarly pissed off expression as he scanned the door to his right. The boy's fingers trailed over the handle, which rested besides a computerised fingerprint scanner.

Videl was then startled when her friend suddenly booted the shiny, metallic door with his foot, sending it flying into the room and thumping against something solid. She shuddered at the unexpected ferocity on display. Such subtle yet terrifying rage was a part of Gohan she'd never seen before. It didn't frighten her though, not in the slightest. If anything, she almost felt sorry for the unfortunate bastard stupid enough to invoke it – almost being the key word there.

"I approve of your approach," she commented with a smirk. "Nice, simple and quick to the point."

Gohan flashed her a quick smile, but the underlying anger never left his face. "I'm past the point of doing things subtly. Whoever is in charge of this place must be stopped, and quickly," he admitted with finality. He then stepped into the darkened room, inadvertently activating a light switch, and grit his teeth at what he saw. Videl simply gasped.

Weapons of all sorts were stacked meticulously along the walls of the medium-sized room, arranged by size and type. The left side of the room was covered by what looked like hundreds of pistols and submachine guns, ranging from relatively unassuming handguns to deadly Desert Eagles. On the opposite side of the entranceway, where the door itself had crashed into, was a wall filled entirely by machine guns and sniper rifles, some of which looked powerful enough to tear through solid steel. To the right of the destroyed doorway rested a stockpile of heavy weaponry such as grenade and rocket launchers, Gatling guns and flamethrowers. The collection didn't end there either, as the wall which contained the doorway was loaded with swords, polearms, knifes, scythes and all manner of bladed weaponry.

It was sickening.

"It looks like there are enough weapons in here to militarise a small country," Videl muttered in disgust.

Gohan nodded his agreement. "To think that one person is in control of all this firepower…" he trailed off, clenching his right fist in barely restrained fury.

"We're going to blow it up, right?" Videl enquired.

"Oh yeah."

Videl smiled at that. She liked this assured, confident side of Gohan. Well, she liked the naïve, clueless side of him too, but this side lit a roaring fire in her belly. It was, dare she say it, sexier. Her face flushed red at the thought, and she quickly shook her head to clear it.

The two teenagers stepped out of the room and proceeded down the corridor, wanting to see what the other rooms contained. However, the moment they made it have, they were forced to clasp their hands to their ears as another siren rang out.

"Darn, not again," Gohan cursed.

Before the pair of martial artists could respond to any imminent threat, two panels on the ceiling at the beginning and end of the corridor opened up, and two hulking, silvery beings dropped down onto the ground, their sheer bulk denting the metallic floor with audible thuds.

Two pairs of piercing, crimson, socketless eyes glared upon Gohan and Videl and flared menacingly, illuminating the two horrifying metallic faces they belonged to. The two beings, evidently robots of some sort, had a humanoid shape to them, but were much taller and broader than the average person.

Their sleek, chromed heads were moulded to look like human skulls, but that was where the comparisons ended, for they lacked any discernible human features – most notably skin. Where their noses were supposed to be were two teardrop-shaped holes, and the skulls didn't have any lips either, each revealing two rows of pristine, white teeth fixed into ever-present smirks.

The robots' bodies were held together by tough looking metallic alloys, and they too were human in shape only. Various assortments of screws and wires connected the endoskeletons' various parts to each other, giving the robots a most inhumane appearance. There were even clearly visible metal spinal cords connecting the bodies' upper and lower halves. To top off the ominous look, both robots wielded in their hands a pair of flamethrowers.

The robots then started walking down the corridor, their gaits strong and uncompromising; walling in Gohan and Videl and pointing their devastating weapons right at the teenagers, primed to fire.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of this," Gohan stated confidently, holding out both hands and pointing each one towards a robot.

Videl shook her head. "No, let me take one of them. I appreciate the help, but how am I ever going to improve if I need you to save my ass every time I'm in danger?"

Gohan paused for a brief moment, then nodded in resignation. "Alright. I trust you."

"Thanks," Videl smiled, just as the mechanical menaces opened fire, sending forth two torrents of flames that rushed towards the dark-haired duo. Gohan and Videl responded with simultaneous ki blasts that sped towards the flames.

Gohan's simple one-handed ball of energy blew back the pillar of fire that was shooting towards him with ease, and completely vaporised the robot from which it came. Videl, meanwhile, knew she didn't have the skill or stamina to muster such firepower, but she had a compromise. With narrowed eyes, the raven-haired girl thrust out both hands and let loose a beam of ki that rocketed towards the robot on her side, pushing back the flames coming her way.

Panting slightly as she felt her already dwindling reserves deplete even further, Videl then sped towards the incoming robot, her skin glistening faintly with sweat from the heat. Just before she was about to crash into it, she dropped to her back and agilely slid across the floor, right between the machine's legs. Just as Videl was passing directly underneath the dangerous automaton, she raised her right hand, lifted her upper back off the ground, and levelled a hammerfist blow upon its crotch, only to wince audibly as a shot of pain ran down her wrist, the robot clearly unaffected _. 'Well that plan was a bust,'_ she mused grumpily.

However, Videl chose not to dwell on those thoughts, and quickly sprang to her feet once she was directly behind the robotic threat, scowling viciously at its back. "You're dead!"

With a battle cry, the petite martial artist directed two swift snap kicks to the insides of the machine's knees, channelling all her hatred, fury and frustration into the strikes. Two harmless thumps later and the robot was no worse for wear, causing Videl's scowl to deepen.

As it began turning its head to face her, she pulled back her right arm and smashed her elbow into its crimson eye; the attack not having a debilitating effect, but momentarily stunning the robot. Videl took this opportunity to grab the machine's thick arms, plant her feet on its steely back, and pull with all her might, hoping to wrench the mechanical limbs from their sockets.

Veins began to throb along Videl's temple as she was met with strong resistance, the robot's strength still far above hers as it slowly gained the upper hand in their impromptu tug of war. The girl would not concede defeat though, and as her face reddened in exertion and her teeth grit together, a sudden idea came to her.

Just as she was about to lose her grip on the mechanical limbs, Videl gave a pained yell and let go of the arms, then began clambering on top of the tall robot's broad back as though she were scaling a mounting, making use of her small frame and superior agility. One she was in a relatively steady position, she then snaked her left arm around the machine's neck, grabbing it in a sleeper hold, while wrapping her legs around its thick chest.

The robot began to swap rapidly from side to side in an attempt to shake off the disruptive martial artist clinging to its back, but Videl was having none of it. With a spirited battle cry and adrenaline coursing through her, possibly inhibiting her common sense, she thrust out right left hand and then swung it back, impaling the automaton's glowing red eyes with her index and middle fingers, which she had attempted to infuse with a faint amount of ki.

Videl winced audibly as flesh broke glass and an electric shock zapped her fingers, causing the digits to go numb. However, she ignored the pain and ripped back her hand, then started pummelling the top of the robot's head with her elbow. Brutal thuds resounded through the corridor as she relentlessly hammered her target, channelling all the rage that had been building up throughout the day into the blows.

With each strike, Videl felt a stinging surge of pain, and realised that her attempt to cave in the machine's metallic skull was going to fail. She cursed under her breath as her elbow reddened and numbed. All the while, the now blinded robot was flailing madly, shooting out flames from his weapon every now and then.

Videl's eyes suddenly widened. _'That's it!'_

With a strenuous groan, the raven-haired girl gripped the robot's shoulders and pressed down hard, not even making an indent into the steel endoskeleton. However, wounding the machine wasn't her goal. With a deep exhalation, Videl lifted her body upwards, until she was doing a handstand on the automaton, using its shoulders as a base and resting the top of her skull against its own. The frantic machine, meanwhile, kept thrashing about, this time in an attempt to throw her off. Taking another breath to steady herself, Videl then launched off the robot, doing a somersault in the process, and landed a dropkick to its hard head mid-flip.

The attack knocked the disoriented machine onto its back, while Videl landed gracefully on her feet. Just like she'd planned, the robot had dropped its flamethrower as it was falling backwards. Feeling heavily fatigued at this point, Videl mustered up the last ounce of her stamina and dashed towards the downed weapon, picking it up while the robot was still on the ground, gathering its bearings.

With a victorious grin, the teenage girl, who was panting furiously, glared down at the defeated automaton and pointed the flamethrower directly at its cold, expressionless face. "I've always wanted to use one of these things… and I can't think of a better target to use it on."

Videl then pressed the trigger, spraying the robot with a torrent of searing hot flames. The machine was silent as the orange fire torched its metallic exterior, the only sign that they were having any effect being the gradual cessation of its movements as it struggled to stand up. Evidently, its only purpose was to harm others, as it lacked the capacity to express any emotions. Videl was all too pleased to roast the abomination.

Eventually, after sustained exposure to the flames, the robot's sleek, silvery skin turned black and charred, and with one final twitch of its fingers it was rendered completely motionless.

Videl let out a sigh of relief as she threw the flamethrower to the side and dropped down to her knees, the extreme fatigue she was feeling finally brimming to the surface. Just as she was about to fall forward, the girl felt the powerful yet comforting hand of her friend on her shoulder, stopping her tumble.

As Gohan gently helped Videl to her feet, she turned to the boy and smiled warmly. "Thanks for letting me have that one."

"I knew you could handle it," Gohan chuckled. "You are my student after all."

Videl laughed, but instantly regretted it when she felt her chest constricting. Her stamina drain was clearly worse than she'd initially suspected.

"Take it easy," Gohan said kindly, a hint of worry in his voice. "You've exhausted yourself completely, both mentally and physically. Your body needs time to rest. No more fighting for today."

Videl waved off the boy's concerns. "I'll be fine. Just give me a senzu and I'll be good to go."

"No," Gohan declared sternly, surprising the girl with his tone. His features then softened. "While senzus are great for healing wounds and recovering energy when you need it, they're best saved for emergencies. And in the case of training, it's much better to let your body recover naturally – that's how you'll get the best results."

Videl sighed, but conceded. Gohan's explanation made sense, and as a martial artist herself, she knew fully well the benefit of a proper recovery period… even if she was sometimes too impatient to wait. "Alright. You win. I won't take a damn senzu," she grumbled.

Gohan smiled. "I'm glad to hear that. Now let's get a move on. I don't want to stay in this wretched place any longer than I have to."

Videl nodded her agreement, also wishing to get out of the hideout as quickly as possible. The two teenagers then proceeded cautiously down the hallway, coming to a stop at the second door on the right.

Gohan glared at it for a few seconds, then booted it open in a rare show of anger. Clearly he was far beyond subtlety at this point, and Videl honestly couldn't blame him.

The duo then peered into the destroyed doorway, only to have their eyes widen slightly at the relatively tame sight within. A large, extravagant king size bed took up most the room, adorned with all manner of fluffy pillows, and stacked with intricate looking blankets. The rest of the space was surprisingly empty.

"Well that was… anticlimactic," Videl remarked.

"I know what you mean," Gohan said. "I was expecting something a little deadlier, or more evil for that matter."

Videl's lips quirked upwards. "I guess even bad guys like to indulge in simple comforts sometimes."

Gohan merely shook his head. "Well, unfortunately for this bad guy, their extravagant little setup will be blown to smithereens once we're done with this place."

Videl chuckled. "I'm looking forward to it."

With that the pair resumed their trek down the corridor, heading towards the last remaining room. This time, however, neither Gohan nor Videl could shake the feeling that some big revelation awaited them. The girl felt a slight twinge of worry, but suppressed it, and took comfort in the knowledge that they were nearly done with their exploration.

"Ready?" Gohan asked once they reached their destination.

Videl simply nodded in response. Gohan took that as confirmation and booted the door open, exactly like he had the previous two. Once that was done, he cautiously stepped through the doorway, seemingly wary of any traps. Seeing that there were none, Videl followed after her friend and came to a stop at his side. Her eyes shot open.

"Well… this is a big upgrade from the last room," she gaped.

"No kidding," Gohan murmured, equally stunned.

The two teenagers found themselves in a large, dimly lit room, about twice the size the two rooms they saw earlier. The space in the middle was occupied by a large, rectangular table, which was neatly arrayed with several stacks of papers, various folders and other such documents, and numerous writing utensils. It appeared to have played host to much activity in the past, and was certainly noteworthy.

However, the most captivating sight in the entire room was without a doubt the enormous monitor covering the wall opposite the entrance. What was currently on display was a map of the world, marked with all the major cities, landmarks and other notable places of interest. What was most curious, however, was the multitude of crosses dotting the display. Below the monitor was a simple keyboard and mouse; a striking contrast to the grandeur of the screen above.

Videl walked up to the monitor, her eyes keenly scanning over the various markings. "Go check out what's on the table," she told Gohan. "I'll see what I can find out from here."

"You got it, boss," was the boy's reply, a hint of humour seeping into his tone. Videl smiled briefly at the comment, but it went as quick as it came, as she steeled herself and focused all her attention on the screen before her. She was in detective mode now.

Videl skilfully tapped away at the keyboard with practiced ease, navigating the map in the hopes of finding some worthwhile information as to what the purpose of this abominable hideout was, and which sick bastard was behind it all. Pictures of all sorts flashed across monitor, detailing blueprints of famous or high security locations, as well as ideal entry points and persons of interest. Among the places on display were King Furry's castle, Capsule Corporation, what looked like a large army base near the Land of Korin, a destroyed laboratory next to North City and, to Videl's shock, Satan Manor.

The girl's eyes narrowed as the sinking feeling that had been building up in the pit of her stomach rose even higher. She'd had her suspicions, but now the signs were clear as day. Before she could voice her thoughts, she heard Gohan gasp from behind her.

Videl swung her head around and darted towards her friend, who was gaping at a series of photographs strewn haphazardly on the large desk in front of him. She instantly grimaced when she saw their contents, completely understanding Gohan's surprise.

The pictures could only be described as ghastly, if not revolting in the purest sense. They contained images of deceased people who clearly hadn't died natural deaths. From slit throats and severed limbs, to burnt holes in chests and bullet wounds… they were the tell-tale signs of murder. And, judging by who the victims were, the killer didn't discriminate when it came to age or gender.

Videl's initial fears were now confirmed. "We're dealing with an assassin," she stated grimly.

"And a sick one at that, who seems to take pleasure in compiling a scrapbook of their kills," Gohan added sadly. A few moments of silence passed between the pair of teenagers as they both came to terms with this discovery, before Gohan broke it. "Anyway, have you found anything?"

Videl nodded. "Blueprints and schematics of famous locations. Whoever this twisted son of a bitch is, they do their research."

Gohan sighed. "Great. A murderer with brains. That makes things easier," he commented sarcastically.

Videl gently grabbed his arm and guided him over to the monitor, wanting to get her friend away from the grisly photographs. Gohan was too nice and naïve of a guy to expose to humanity's depravities, and Videl wanted to keep him uncorrupted for as long as possible. "Come on, let me show you what I've found," she said gently.

Gohan nodded, and scanned his eyes over the screen. After just a few seconds, they shot open and his face turned an ashen white.

"Gohan, what's wrong?" Videl asked worriedly.

"That's Capsule Corp, where Bulma and her family lives," he stammered shakily, pointing towards West City. "And that's Muten Roshi's island. Even my grandfather's castle is marked on this map." The panic was now flowing off him in droves, and Videl felt her heart ache at the sight.

"What does this mean?" she enquired softly.

"It means that they might know about us." Gohan quickly shook his head before Videl could ask him to clarify, and immediately noticed something else. "Hey, could you please bring up the details for this?" he asked, pointing towards the army base she'd spotted before.

Videl nodded, curious, and did as her friend asked. "Red Ribbon Army base," she read as the words appeared at the top of the screen. She then whistled appreciatively at the images of destroyed hangars, demolished fighter planes and tanks, and smashed buildings. "I've read about these guys. They were some seriously nasty business, classified as a potential threat to the world. Then they suddenly disappeared… vanished like it was nothing. Not that anyone was complaining though."

Videl could've sworn she saw the faintest quirk of the lips from Gohan, but she dismissed it. "Let's see if I can dig anything up," she mused, more to herself than anything, her curious nature getting the better of her.

She clicked on a security camera and a video popped up on the screen, showing a small, red blur zigzagging down a corridor, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Videl watched flummoxed as uniformed soldiers, armed to the teeth with heavy weaponry, were thrown aside by the dozen, unable to contend with the wrecking ball bulldozing through their ranks.

Entranced, the girl paused the video, and gasped when the red figure on the screen became discernible, its familiar, childlike features illuminating the display. "Goten?"

"Look at the date," Gohan said softly from beside her.

Videl did just that, and saw that it read 12 May, Age 750, which was almost two decades before the youngest Son child was born. "Then… Goku?"

"Yep," Gohan stated proudly, joining Videl in observing the footage of his father. The man – now boy – was the spitting image of Goten, with the only difference being that Goku looked a tad pudgier, and his gi was of a slightly different design. There was also a strange, brown, belt-like object waving behind him.

"Wow," Videl breathed out. "So Son Goku, who can't have been what, more than 15 at the time, singlehandedly destroyed the most dangerous terrorist organisation to ever threaten the Earth? Using just martial arts?" At Gohan's nod the girl couldn't help but let out an amused chuckle. "At this point, I really shouldn't be surprised. Any more child heroes in the family I should know about?" she asked her friend, who gave a nervous laugh and scratched the back of his head.

"Maybe. Even I don't know everything about my family."

Videl smirked and returned her attention to the screen. She clicked on Goku, only for the screen to suddenly start beeping and flashing a menacing red, the words 'DANGER' appearing above the still image of the boy.

Videl slowly backed away from the machine, a bit startled by this new development. "Guess whoever's running this place is smart enough to know when they're out of their depth," she remarked, her tone mocking.

"That might not necessarily be a good thing," Gohan said. "If this assassin came after my dad, then my dad could put a stop to their nefarious ways for good, so they couldn't hurt any more people."

Videl quirked a brow. "You have that much faith in your father?"

"Of course," Gohan stated confidently, no trace of doubt in his voice.

Videl laughed. "I know exactly how you feel."

Gohan smiled at her admission, but Videl could've sworn the smile didn't reach his eyes like it usually did. She blinked a few times.

It was probably her imagination.

"Have you found out anything else about who we're dealing with?" Gohan questioned, seeming a bit eager to change the subject.

"No, unfortunately," Videl frowned. "All I can gather from this computer, and the photographs you found, is that the bastard in charge of this place is an assassin, and a clever one at that – very meticulous in their research. They're also smart enough to not leave any trace of information that could reveal who they are, what they look like, or what their next target is. We're pretty much dealing with a shadow here."

Gohan sighed, rubbing his temples exasperatedly. "Fantastic. And we can't even wait this person out, because who knows how frequently they even come here."

Videl gently patted her friend's shoulder. "Cheer up. We still get to blow this place up, and I can always go speak to my police contacts to see if they can dig up any information on this assassin."

Gohan's lip twitched upwards at that. "You have a point. Plus, I guess I could always ask Bulma to see if she can figure anything out."

"That's the spirit," Videl chirped. "Now I don't know about you, but I'm ready to get the hell out of here."

"Excellent idea."

With that Gohan turned around and started making his way towards the room's exit, but stopped when he felt Videl stay where she was. Curious, he glanced back at the girl, and his eyes widened slightly when he saw her holding out a hand, a faint ball of ki forming in front of her palm.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Gohan said gently, grabbing Videl's wrist and moving it downwards, the tiny bit of visible ki dissipating. He saw the faintest beads of perspiration running down her temple. "Like I said earlier, your stamina is pretty much spent. Any further use of ki could be dangerous."

Videl grumbled under her breath, while at the same time letting out a few pants of exhaustion. "That's lame."

Gohan couldn't help but chuckle at the girl's visible dissatisfaction. It was so in character for her, and he honestly found it somewhat endearing. "I know how much you were looking forward to blowing this place up, but there will be other chances, other bad guy hangouts to destroy. Especially if you keep hanging out with me."

At that Videl's lips quirked up. "Good point. Guess you won't be getting rid of me any time soon."

' _I wouldn't want to,'_ was Gohan's unsaid response. He then shifted his hand to Videl's shoulder and guided her out of the room. Once she stepped into the hallway, he stood in the ruined doorway and menacingly held his hand out towards the centre of the room.

Videl watched, transfixed, as a large sphere of ki formed almost instantly in front of Gohan's palm and rocketed towards its target. The first object hit was the table, which vaporised instantly upon contact with the dazzling ball of energy, the vile photographs adorning it burning away into nothingness.

Not even a second later, the ki ball ploughed through the large computer screen, shattering it into countless pieces and exploding against the back wall. Videl observed with great satisfaction as the large map on the monitor promptly faded to black amidst the flying shards of glass, all evidence of the assassin's dirty deeds being wiped from existence.

A second explosion then reverberated around the steel-walled room, but Videl was protected from the aftershock by Gohan's body, which was blocking the doorway like some impenetrable block of iron. However, even the muscular teenager couldn't prevent the heat of the blast from seeping out of the now-destroyed area, making Videl flush from its intensity, and reminding her yet again of just how much power Gohan had at his fingertips.

"That should be that," the boy stated firmly, stepping out of the doorway and making his way down the corridor.

Videl quickly glanced inside the now-destroyed room, but was unable to see anything other than thick, black smoke. Satisfied at the destruction, despite not being able to take part in it herself, she caught up to Gohan and watched as he came to a halt outside the assassin's room and sent another large ki blast directly into it.

Peering over the tall teenager's shoulder, she bore witness to the once-fluffy and extravagant bed disintegrating completely upon contact with Gohan's ball of ki, the plasma-like energy leaving no traces of the elegant silk blankets and cotton pillows. Videl smirked, gleefully imagining what kind of face the assassin bastard would make after finding their hideout completely trashed.

Gohan, meanwhile, was not yet done with his systematic destruction of the assassin's hideout, and strode purposefully towards the last room that was left to blow up: the armoury. He reached the doorway and held out his hand once more, but before he could fire off a ki blast Videl grabbed his wrist and pulled it down, mirroring his actions from before.

The boy looked at his friend curiously, to which she replied with a slight glare. "I may not know as much about this ki business as you, but even I can guess that if a ki blast clashes with all the explosives and firepower in that room, there's going to be a huge ass explosion." Her glare softened. "I don't want you to accidentally hurt yourself."

Gohan's eyes widened briefly before a smile found its way to his face. "You concern is touching, but you don't have to worry about me. I got this." He then scratched the back of his head. "Although, now that you mention it, you might want to stand away from the doorway."

Videl gave him one last look, then sighed and began trudging towards the hallway's entrance. She would take her friend's word for it. She trusted him. Once she was sufficiently far away, Gohan let loose a ki blast into the armoury, which created a massive explosion within the small space. So loud and deafening was the noise, that it felt like a mini nuke had gone off, and Videl had to grit her teeth and cover her ears so as to not sustain any internal injuries. Despite the discomfort she was feeling, she could clearly see that Gohan was completely unfazed by it all, calmly flaring his shining white aura and blowing back the billowing black smoke that threatened to pour out into the corridor.

The crime fighter was impressed, and didn't even try to hide her amazement when the blast had died down and Gohan made his way towards her. "I underestimated you," she admitted with a smirk. "You really are a monster."

Gohan laughed and scratched the back of his head. "That's not the first time I've been called that."

"And something tells me it won't be the last," Videl chuckled. "Anyway, good job. A bit flashy for my taste, but effective."

"It'll grow on you," Gohan responded, smiling.

"In your dreams, maybe," the girl retorted with a smirk.

The two fell in step side by side as they walked towards the spike pit. Once they reached the edge of the platform they both blushed and looked away from each other.

"I still can't fly, can I?" Videl asked.

Gohan gulped, glancing at the thorny bed of spikes before him. "With your ki reserves this low, it would be… unwise."

"I figured."

The male of the pair scratched the back of his head and let out a nervous chuckle. He then held his arms up awkwardly. "Grab on."

Videl stared at him for a few seconds and swallowed. "Grab on to where?"

"Ahh, wherever you feel most comfortable," he replied.

"Ok…" The crime fighter briefly contemplated her next course of action. Usually her interactions with the opposite gender involved her beating the crap out of crooks. Never before had she needed to get even remotely close to a guy, let alone in such an intimate position – the boys at school were either intimated by her, or too awestruck by who her father was. This didn't bother Videl too much, as she never had an interest in any of them to begin with… until Gohan came along and shattered her preconceived beliefs about the male gender.

The girl sighed, cursing her awkwardness about the topic, and missing the days where she was always calm, collected and assured. Gathering her bearings, she decided to get it over with and latched onto Gohan's midsection, wrapping her arms around his firm abdomen, a part of her relishing the feel of his rock-hard muscles.

Videl suppressed a yelp when she felt Gohan's hand slide down and gently grab her waist. Her first instinct was to pull back and sock him in the jaw, but she held it in. She knew her friend didn't have any perverted motivations behind his actions. He was simply being considerate and kind, like he usually was.

"Up we go," Gohan informed her, lifting off the ground and hovering over the spike pit. Before he ascended to the entrance, however, he thrust out his free hand and sent forth a cylindrical beam of blue ki that sped down the corridor and exploded over the assassin's crest. Much to Videl's surprise, Gohan didn't stem the flow of his energy, but simply maintained it; an act which only increased the size of the initial blast.

With wide eyes, the crime fighter watched as the smoke cloud expanded and rushed towards them, accompanied by a cacophony of booms that made her wince. She wanted to say something, but she was too transfixed by the sight to open her mouth. Besides, she trusted Gohan to know what he was doing.

Once the rapidly-moving smoke cloud breached the hallway, Gohan ceased his ki output and shot upwards and out through the hatch, landing softly on the barren land surrounding it. Mere moments later, a plume of thick, black smoke spiralled out of the tunnel with a final ear-piercing explosion and rose into the air, merging with contrasting blue of the sky.

Videl blinked a few times, trying to come to terms with what she'd just witnessed. "That… looked like something right out of a movie."

Gohan chuckled. "An apt description of my life."

Videl mentally nodded her agreement with a slight smirk, pleased that she could sate her thirst for adventure by hanging out with her spiky-haired friend. She then noticed that her arms were still wrapped around his chiselled lower torso and immediately let go, a light red tinting her cheeks. "Thanks for the lift," she said shyly.

"No problem," Gohan responded in an equally nervous tone.

A sudden sea of hooting drew the teenagers' attention to the edge of the clearing, where they saw a large collection of monkeys staring at them in awe and hopping about enthusiastically, the excitement among them almost tangible.

"Looks like we have an audience," Videl observed.

Gohan nodded and walked over to the jubilant animals, his eyes scanning the crowd for something. They then widened in recognition, and Videl could make out that his attention was focused on the limbless monkey who he'd fed a senzu to. The poor little mammal no longer had a despairing look upon its face, and was simply as awestruck as the rest of its troop. Her eyes then caught a glimpse of orange in its hand and she couldn't help but let out a gasp.

It was the Dragon Ball.

The injured monkey hopped over towards Gohan and stared up at the tall teenager with an unreadable expression. Then, without warning, it leapt up and wrapped its arms around the boy's neck and started wailing – whether it was from happiness or gratitude, Videl didn't know, but it was a heart-warming sight all the same. The crime fighter felt another spike of warmth in the pit of her stomach.

Gohan merely chuckled and ran his hand down the weeping primate's back. "There, there, it's alright," he said soothingly. "Videl and I took care of everything. No one will be getting hurt by this place anymore."

The monkey let out another cry and tightened its grip. Eventually the little creature let go of Gohan and hopped over towards Videl. The girl stared down at it, not really sure what to expect. However, much to her surprise, the monkey didn't jump up to hug her like it had her friend, but instead held out its hand, offering her the Dragon Ball it was holding.

"You're really giving this to me?" Videl asked, wanting to make sure this wasn't another prank. The monkey bobbed its head up and down in response. She smiled and knelt towards it, then took the ball from its hand. "Thank you, I appreciate it."

The primate seemed to regain some vigour from the raven-haired girl's words, and began hopping on the spot. It seemed the rest of its friends and family took this as some sort of sign to celebrate, as they started jumping about joyously as well.

Videl laughed and took a step back from the group. She started rolling the Dragon Ball around in her hands, admiring its almost unnatural smoothness. The three red stars etched seamlessly into the ball shined up at her, adding to the mystical object's allure. Even without the power to summon a wish-granting dragon, the Dragon Balls themselves would've made for a perfect piece to put on display at a museum simply due to their beauty.

The girl grasped the ball tighter. Even though she didn't technically win the game against the monkey, she couldn't help but feel as if she earnt the victory regardless, and that was a comforting feeling.

"Ready to go?"

Videl was interrupted from her musings by a smiling Gohan, who had made his way towards her. She nodded in his direction. "Let's do it."

However, just as Gohan put his hands to his mouth to call something out, a barrage of screeching halted him in his tracks. Curious, he and Videl turned to the source of the noise, only to spot the group of monkeys vigorously shaking their heads. "Guess they don't want us to leave," he noted.

"Yeah, but why?" Videl pondered out loud.

Thankfully, she didn't have to wait too long for an answer, as within seconds several monkeys emerged from the trees, dragging along the ground an enormous leaf stacked with a humongous pile of bananas. The teenagers stared, transfixed, as the primates pulled the leaf towards them and then stepped aside, grinning proudly at the food.

Videl couldn't help but gape at the sight. "It's like Donkey Kong in real life…"

"What?" a confused Gohan questioned.

The girl shook her head. "Never mind. I'll tell you later."

Gohan merely shrugged and turned back towards the literal mountain of bananas. "Guess these little guys want to have a feast before we go."

Videl glanced at the sky, noticing that it was starting to redden ever so slightly. "Are you sure we have the time?"

Her answer was a tremendous, dinosaur-like roar that shook her to the core. Stunned, she stared at the source of the noise, where a blushing Gohan was holding his stomach with one hand and scratching the back of his head with the other.

The raven-haired girl chuckled. "Well in that case, I guess we don't have a choice."

* * *

"Ahh, that really hit the spot!" a giddy Gohan exclaimed, patting his belly contentedly as he soared through the sky.

Videl, who was sitting cross-legged on Kinto'un and flying beside him, glared jokingly at the boy. "You sure about that? I mean, you only won four separate eating contests, and ate about half of that banana pile yourself. Surely you could've kept going."

"Well, I wanted to leave some for the monkeys," Gohan stated casually.

Videl stared at her friend blankly. "You know I was joking, right?"

"Oh? Of course. I was joking too, heh," he mumbled sheepishly.

"Sure you were," Videl said sarcastically. "Your stomach really is like a bottomless pit. Have you ever considered going into competitive eating?"

Gohan raised an eyebrow. "Competitive eating?"

Videl was a bit taken aback. "You've never heard of it? I figured your family would be into this kind of thing." At his confused expression, the girl chuckled. "Competitive eating is pretty much exactly what it sounds like; you compete with other people to see who can eat the most food in the shortest time possible. A lot of people do it casually and post videos of it on the internet, but there's a professional league for it too, in which you can earn money as a prize."

Gohan gaped at her, blinking a few times as his eyes slowly lit up. "Seriously? Whoa, that's so awesome! And it sounds like so much fun! I never knew there was a profession where you could get paid for eating!"

Videl smiled, the boy's enthusiasm infectious. "So are you going to do it?"

To her surprise, Gohan shook his head, appearing to have calmed down a bit. "While it would be fun, I wouldn't want the publicity. Besides, I'm not sure I'd have the time for it anyway, what with school, being Saiyaman and training with you."

Videl's heart skipped a beat at that last admission, pleased that Gohan considered training with her such a big deal – especially if he mentioned it alongside his studies and crime fighting.

"But I'll tell my dad about it," he said, interrupting Videl's musings. "I'm sure he'd get a kick out of it."

"I'm sure he would," the crimefighter agreed.

After that the teenagers flew in silence for a bit, having left Fukurou Forest not too long ago. Once they'd finished eating with the monkeys, Gohan informed Videl that the final Dragon Ball they were searching for was out past the ocean to the west, in the direction of East City.

Since Videl's current ki reserves were almost non-existent, Gohan had called down Kinto'un to give her a lift. She didn't mind, as the magical golden cloud was much faster than any jetcopter she'd piloted before, which would drastically cut down on travel time. It was a lot more comfortable, too.

Before too long, the martial artists rocketed past East City, with Videl being able to make out the large metropolis' skyline in the distance, and came to a halt in the sky above the Spinach Wastes.

"Is the Dragon Ball here?" Videl asked, shivering slightly in the early evening breeze.

Gohan furrowed his brows and surveyed the area. "No, but it's close. Looks like it's near one of the villages."

Videl followed his gaze and studied the land below. The Spinach Wastes, also referred to by some as the Northern Wilderness, was a large, grassy area that consisted of vast swathes of farmland, several mountain ranges, and a few small, rustic villages. A huge river flowed down from the Northern Mountains, acting as something of a natural border splitting the more modern and urbanised East City, and the more natural and rural Wastes. It was quite a beautiful, picturesque place, Videl had to admit.

However, sightseeing was the last thing on the girl's mind. Thankfully, because she and Gohan had the Dragon Radar, they wouldn't have to traverse the entire Wastes looking for the Dragon Ball. That would've been torturous.

"Alright, looks like the Dragon Ball is a bit to the south," Gohan stated, turning Videl's attention to him.

He then took off in said direction, Kinto'un following after him. After just a few moments, the pair of teenagers found themselves flying above a moderately large village, walled in by a few small mountains and bordering a big lake. Several tiny, thatched wooden huts interspersed with pine trees dotted the area, indicating that the village was quite populous.

"Pretty place," Videl commented.

"Agreed."

"Are we going to be making a stop in the village?" she enquired.

Gohan shook his head. "Won't have to. The Dragon Ball appears to be somewhere in the mountains."

"Cool." Truth be told, Videl had become rather fond of exploring mountains as of late, and she wouldn't mind getting the chance to see another one.

The dark-haired duo waved between a couple of large peaks before the air became noticeably hotter, and the further they went, the more they were forced to sweat. It was a drastic contrast to the chilly winds they'd been feeling just minutes before.

"Oh, that's interesting," Gohan suddenly remarked.

"What is?" Videl asked, wiping her wet forehead with the sleeve of her shirt.

"Looks like the Dragon Ball's inside of that volcano ahead of us," he stated nonchalantly.

The girl paused. "You're kidding, right?"

Gohan chuckled. "Why? Is that a problem?"

"No," Videl responded hotly, putting on a brave face. "I just wasn't expecting to be exploring a volcano when I woke up this morning."

"Oh? Were you offering to get the Dragon Ball this time?" Gohan questioned, an uncharacteristically cheeky grin on his face.

"Normally I would have, but it's your turn to get the next Dragon Ball," Videl said smugly.

Gohan scratched the back of his head and shrugged. "Well alright then, if you insist. I don't mind."

A victorious Videl floated higher into the sky while her friend sped off towards the volcano. She saw him ascend to the peak and then gasped when he casually shot down into the crater. A flash of pain passed through her chest, the girl immediately fearing the worst. Normal people didn't usually fly directly into volcanoes – she was expecting Gohan to be a lot more cautious about it.

However, her fears were short-lived and ultimately amounted to nothing, as mere moments later Gohan rocketed up out of the crater in all his costumed glory and made his way towards her. He then presented her with a familiar orange ball, seven red stars gleaming on the surface. "All too easy," the boy exclaimed proudly.

Videl stared at the Dragon Ball, at a bit of a loss for words. "That's it?"

"Yeah, it wasn't too hard to find," Gohan admitted. "The Dragon Ball was nestled in a small indent near the top of the volcano."

The crime fighter blinked. "A bit anticlimactic."

Gohan laughed. "What did you expect was going to happen? That I was going to have to fight some kind of hulking lava monster that was guarding the Dragon Ball?"

"No!" Videl retorted, a tinge of pink on her cheeks. "Nothing that extreme. I just expected something a bit more adventurous, that's all."

Images flashed through her head of Gohan having to hop across floating rocks to get to the Dragon Ball, which would be located on a small platform in the middle of the lake of lava, all the while fighting off weird creatures who were also trying to get the Dragon Ball. That was the kind of cliché stuff that immediately came to mind… not that she was going to say so out loud. _'Maybe I should lay off the cheap action flicks,'_ she mused inwardly.

Gohan studied her face for a few seconds before shrugging, a small smile adorning his handsome features. "If you say so. In any case, I guess this wraps up our little adventure."

"I guess so," Videl agreed, a matching smile across her lips. Today was the most excitement she'd had in a long time, second only to the day she flew for the first time. "Thank you, Gohan, for letting me in on this adventure. I really appreciate it." And she did, from the bottom of her heart.

"Aww, no need to thank me," Gohan mumbled bashfully. "I'm just glad you enjoyed yourself." He then looked up at the darkened sky and pursed his lips. "Good thing we found the Dragon Ball when we did. It's getting late."

Videl nodded her agreement as the two teenagers took off towards the south, in the direction of Satan City. Thankfully, it wasn't too far from the Spinach Wastes, so it would be a relatively short trip.

As they left the mountains and flew over the nearby village, Videl felt a chill run across her body. Now that they were out of range of the volcano's warmth, there was nothing to protect her from the elements. The clothes she was wearing only made matters worse, as they weren't suited for cold temperatures.

"Those were some impressive ki blasts you threw back at the forest," Gohan said suddenly, distracting Videl from the weather.

The girl smirked proudly. "Damn straight. I've been practicing in my spare time. I guess you could say I'm working on a secret weapon."

"Really?" Gohan asked, curiosity brimming in his voice. "What kind of secret weapon?"

Videl laughed. "If I told you, it wouldn't be a secret weapon anymore, would it?"

The boy pouted. "Well, no… but I'm your sensei. Can't you make an exception in my case?"

She let out another laugh. "Don't worry, I'll show you soon enough. I just need to perfect it first."

Gohan sighed, but smiled nonetheless. "If you say so. I'll be looking forward to it."

The pair flew side by side for a little longer before Videl felt something wet plop onto her bare arms. A second later the same wetness impacted upon her head, causing her to grumble. _'Great. Just what I needed.'_

Within seconds, the two teenagers were assaulted by a light rain, much to Videl's displeasure. Being the strong girl she was, she tried to not let it show how much the weather was affecting her, and conversation ceased for a few minutes as the dark-haired duo soared towards their destination.

Gohan chanced a glance at Videl out of the corner of his eye, and immediately noticed her shivering vividly in the breeze, the rain dampening her silky raven locks. Her arms were wrapped tightly around her body, and her teeth were chattering audibly. It wasn't a pleasant sight

"You ok?" Gohan asked, concerned.

"Peachy," was the girl's terse reply.

He frowned. "Really? Because you look kind of cold."

"You're imagining things."

Gohan chuckled. "Move up a bit."

She eyed him oddly. "Why?"

"So I can warm you up," he responded nonchalantly.

Videl felt a blush coming but suppressed it. "I-I don't need your help," she stammered.

Gohan merely smiled kindly in response. "Videl, you don't have to act tough around me."

She glared at him. "Who's acting? That's your forte, with your goofy dances and cheesy one liners. Something I can't tell whether you're trying to be a superhero or a ballerina."

"Ouch. My pride." Videl smirked, and Gohan let out an exaggerated sigh. "Well alright then, if that's the way you want to be. I was just trying to be a good superhero and offer my help, but I guess I'm not needed."

 _'Damn straight,'_ Videl thought triumphantly. A few seconds passed, before a faint pink hue found its way to her cheeks, and a newfound sense of rationality overrode her pride. "Gohan…"

"Yes, Videl," the boy asked, fighting to keep a grin from splitting his face.

She paused, then looked away from him meekly, not wanting to see his reaction. "Can you please help warm me up?"

"Of course!" Gohan laughed. Within moments, he had planted himself directly behind her on Kinto'un, and sat down cross-legged. He then draped his red cape around her body like a blanket. "Lean back against me," he said softly, his breath tickling the back of Videl's neck.

The crime fighter was glad Gohan couldn't see how red her cheeks had become, and did as he asked, tilting backwards and resting her back against his firm, muscular chest, which she could still feel beneath the fabric of his outfit. A sudden added warmth flowed across her petite body, cloaking it like a second skin. The girl instantly recognised it as the familiar sensation that was Gohan's ki.

"There, isn't that much better?" he asked in the same soft tone he used just moments before.

Videl grunted an affirmation, not trusting herself to speak lest her voice squeak from nervousness, and hoping with all her heart that Gohan wouldn't hear the thumping in her chest.

Minutes passed without a word spoken between the two teenagers, the pair keen to take comfort in each other's presence and gaze down at the passing scenery below. Eventually, Videl turned her attention to the red cape covering her frame, looking it over closely for the first time. "You know, when I first saw your Saiyaman outfit, I wanted to do nothing more than burn it," she admitted fondly. "That's how stupid it looked."

Gohan let out an amused chuckle. "You wound me, Videl."

She just smiled. "But I have to admit, the outfit is growing on me."

The superhero lit up like a light. "Really? That's great! If you want, I can ask Bulma to make you a Saiyaman outfit of your own!"

Videl's smile morphed into a scowl. "Don't even think about it, buster. I may not… dislike the outfit as much as I once did, but I'm still sane enough to not want to wear something so garish."

Gohan laughed. "So you say now. But I think you'll change your mind eventually. The suit has a certain charm to it."

"Ha. You're dreaming," Videl retorted, unable to suppress a smile. She ran her hands along the cape protecting her from the elements, relishing the feel of the soft, elegant silk. A thought then came to her. "The cape's a little counterproductive though, don't you think?"

"Huh? How?" Gohan asked, clearly confused.

"Well, it doesn't really seem necessary," Videl replied. "If anything, I think it's more of a hindrance than a help." She took her friend's silence as an indication to continue. "Imagine you're flying next to a plane and your cape gets sucked into the engine."

Gohan grimaced audibly. "Point taken."

Videl chuckled. "It doesn't stop there. Aside from getting caught on things while flying, a cape could cost you in a fight. It'd give your opponents something to grab onto, and if you're moving around a lot your legs could get tangled up."

Gohan said nothing, and Videl could almost feel the disappointment radiating off him. She felt a tad guilty at being the cause of it, but she was a realist. "Capes have their uses," the superhero suddenly said.

Videl quirked a brow. "Oh? Like what?"

"They help with aerodynamics," he replied. "They… ahh… pick up the wind better which increases your speed."

The crime fighter pondered this answer briefly before snorting good-naturedly. "Gohan, I know you're super smart, but you just made that up. If anything, a cape would slow you down due to the drag. Besides, you don't use the wind to fly, you use ki to fly. You know that."

She could hear the boy grumbling behind her and smiled. It was always fun getting under Gohan's skin. "They can act as a parachute if you're falling," he said. "That's pretty helpful."

Videl pondered this. "True… but that's only if you're dumb enough to exhaust your ki reserves while in the middle of flying. And before you say anything," she mentioned, raising a hand to stop Gohan from speaking, "you can't bring up what happened on my first day of training, since I was just a beginner who didn't know any better. I've learnt my lesson."

A few more unintelligible grumbles caused Videl to smirk. Another victory for her. "Capes look cool," the superhero said with finality.

"Well… maybe sometimes, I have to admit," she chuckled. "But in this case, aesthetics has nothing to do with productivity."

Gohan kept silent, and Videl felt yet another slight tinge of pity for the boy who'd just had his illusions shattered. "You really like your cape, don't you?" she asked.

"I do," he replied slowly.

"And nothing I say is going to stop you from wearing it?"

"Nope."

Videl laughed. She found such conviction admirable, and even a little endearing. "Fair enough I guess. And I suppose capes do have their uses." She gripped Saiyaman's cape and hugged it closer to her body, taking comfort in the warmth it provided. "Like now."

The girl heard Gohan chuckle. "Told you so." She felt his breath tickle the back of her neck once again, sending a shiver running up her spine and causing goosebumps to form along her skin, bringing to the surface feelings she was wholly unfamiliar with.

A few more minutes of comfortable silence passed, before Videl lifted her right hand and placed it against the side of Gohan's helmet. She could hear him gulp. "Yes, Videl?"

"Take off the helmet."

"Why?"

She shrugged in response. "I think you look better without it."

Gohan did nothing for a few seconds – she could sense the hesitation in his body language. Eventually though, he conceded to her request, and took the helmet off his head, exposing his spiky locks to the evening breeze, and allowing the raindrops to pelt against his skin. Videl took the helmet from him, eyed it briefly, then placed it on her head.

Her view instantly darkened from behind the black visor, but she could still see clearly enough. There was also plenty of room inside the helmet so as to not limit her mobility. But it still wasn't comfortable, so she promptly took it off and rolled it around in her hands. "As I thought. Not my thing. Quite silly looking, too."

Gohan paused. "But you understand why I have to wear it, right?"

"Of course," Videl replied. "Doesn't mean I like it."

Another pause from Gohan. "Is that the only reason you don't like it? Because it looks silly?"

 _'No, you dolt. I don't like it because I'd much rather be looking at your face… into your eyes… instead of a black visor,'_ was the answer that first came to mind, but not the answer that came to mouth. "Yes."

"Huh," Gohan responded. "Well, I still like it though."

"Of course you do," she chuckled. Then, without warning, the crime fighter brought her right hand up once more and gently ran it along the boy's cheek, relishing the feel of his smooth, soft, clean skin. Videl was stunned at her actions, but couldn't help herself. If was as if her body was moving on autopilot. She gulped, and heard Gohan do the same – but her hand never moved from its place.

Neither teenager moved to put a stop to this, and before long an uncharacteristic giggle slipped from Videl's mouth.

"What?" Gohan asked, curiosity overriding his nervousness.

"Oh nothing," she answered. "I'm just trying to imagine what you'd look like with facial hair."

"Ehhh?" Gohan gaped, flabbergasted at the sudden thought. That came out of nowhere. An image flashed through his mind of himself dressed like Muten Roshi, reclining against a tanning chair and flashing the victory sign, a glorious fu manchu moustache and beard combination flowing down his chin. A collection of dirty magazines was scattered across his belly, and a perverted grin adorned his features.

The boy shivered – not from the cold – and immediately banished that picture from his head, which he shook vigorously. "No thanks."

Videl let out another giggle. "Yeah, you're right. You look fine just the way you are."

Gohan felt his cheeks flash crimson. "Thanks," he mumbled nervously. "You look fine the way you are, too."

"W-what?" This time it was her turn to mumble, caught off guard by the sudden admission. "You really think so?"

"Of course," Gohan replied with conviction. _'You're the most beautiful girl I've ever met, both inside and out.'_ But he didn't tell her that.

"Gee. Umm… thanks?" she stammered.

A pause. "You're welcome."

Silence reigned, as neither teenager knew where to steer the conversation from here. Luckily for them, they didn't have to, as the Satan City skyline soon came into view. The sky was now completely dark, exposing the millions of stars above. If Videl had to warrant a guess, she'd say it was nine in the evening.

Once the pair passed across the city's borders their ears were immediately greeted by the familiar hustle and bustle of the metropolis. Cars littered the streets below, lights illuminated the surrounding buildings, and the billboard bearing Mr Satan's grinning face bore down upon the city that shared his name, acting as a symbol of hope to any who dared to look upon it – at least, that was the justification he gave Videl for having the billboards commissioned in the first place. Honestly, she thought he was just being vain.

The crime fighter put that thought aside when the outline of her house appeared in the horizon. She smiled. Even though she had fun today, she was beyond exhausted, and was looking forward to getting some well-earned rest. Not even the fact that her father was away for the night could sour her mood.

Kinto'un lowered itself to the driveway at the front of the mansion and Videl hopped off. "Thank you, Kinto'un," she told the cloud gratefully, to which it seemed to purr in response.

Videl smiled, then turned her attention to Gohan, who had also just landed. "Ahh, well, I guess this is goodnight," the boy mumbled, scratching the back of his head.

"I guess so," Videl said slowly, before a thought sprang to mind. "Say, Gohan, do you mind if I keep that Dragon Ball we got from the monkeys?" she asked her friend.

The boy stared at her strangely from behind his visor. "Huh? Why would you want the Dragon Ball?"

"Because technically, I'm the one that got it," she explained with a tiny smirk.

Gohan scratched his cheek. "That's true, and you do have a point… but what if the same people who are causing the Dragon Balls to disappear come after you?"

Videl's smirk faded and she frowned. "Then let them come. I'll just kick their asses if they try to take the ball from me."

Gohan sighed. "But Videl, what if they're dangerous? We don't know what kind of people we're dealing with."

The crime fighter felt a tiny pang of betrayal, and the familiar feeling of inadequacy from the past few days reared its ugly head. "Do you have so little faith in me that you think I can't take care of myself?" she asked harshly. "What the hell have I been training for if not for this very purpose? Was everything I learnt for nothing?"

Gohan let out another sigh and took off his helmet to rub his temples. He then met Videl's angry glare with softened features. "It's not like that at all. I have the utmost faith in you. I just… don't want you to get hurt. You're one of my best friends and I…" He swallowed. "I care about you too much."

All the anger Videl felt instantly evaporated, and she gave Gohan her warmest smile. "I understand how you're feeling, but you're not always going to be there to have my back. I need to learn how to take care of myself. I'm a big girl after all," she chuckled.

Gohan opened his mouth a few times, struggling with his words, before eventually sighing and bowing his head slightly. "You're right. I'm sorry for underestimating you." He set his helmet on the ground and reached behind for his backpack, extracting the Three-Star Dragon Ball and offering it to Videl.

The crime fighter took the mystical object and placed it under her arm. "Don't worry about me, Gohan, I'll be fine," she assured the boy softly.

He sighed. "I know you will. But just in case, I'll give you my number so you can call me if anything happens. Do you have a phone?"

Videl almost snorted in amusement, but then remembered that Gohan was a country bumpkin who was mostly unfamiliar with urban life. The concept of every single city-dwelling teenager owning a mini supercomputer – that was always within arm's reach – would surely be baffling to him. She reached into her pocket and handed him the thin mobile device.

He took the phone and started tapping away, and when he was done he gave it back to Videl. "There you go. That's my number. If any problem arises, please give me a call. Oh, and you should probably have this, too." He dug into his backpack again and pulled out a senzu bean. Videl grinned and reached to grab it, but before she could do so Gohan pulled his hand away and gave her a stern look. "You have to promise me that you'll only eat it if it's an emergency – and no, wanting to train is not an emergency."

The crime fighter grumbled in response but nodded nonetheless, and gratefully took the offered morsel of food. She then stepped back and looked at the boy. "Anything else you want to tell me, oh wise sensei?"

Gohan scratched his cheek ponderingly and picked up his Saiyaman helmet. "No, that's about it. Good night, Videl."

Before the superhero could take to the air, Videl grabbed his arm and stood up on her tiptoes, then placed her lips to his cheek and gave him a light, tender kiss. "Thank you for everything, Gohan," she whispered softly. "I really do appreciate everything you've done for me."

Gohan's face reddened like a tomato and he staggered backwards, gaping like a fish. "A-a-aha, it's no problem, Videl. I'll s-see you tomorrow. Bye!"

With that the now crimson-coloured superhero took to the sky and blasted off into the distance. Videl watched his retreating figure for a few moments until he faded into the night sky, then chuckled to herself and walked to her front door. Making Gohan uncomfortable was starting to become a favourite pastime of hers. He got flustered so easily and it was, dare she say, adorable.

The girl unlocked the door and closed it behind her, then set off towards her bedroom, moving robotically like some kind of zombie as the fatigue accumulated throughout the day finally caught up with her. Exhausted, she trudged up the stairs and stumbled drunkenly into her room. She had enough sense to hide the Dragon Ball inside her bedside dresser and the senzu bean under her pillow.

Videl then stood in the middle of her room, contemplating what to do next. She was feeling unusually hot right now, and decided that, despite her tiredness, a quick shower would do her good.

Once she was done, she put on striped pyjama pants and a loose white singlet, and collapsed onto her bed. She was out like a light the moment her head touched the pillow.

* * *

Videl was jolted awake by a strange noise in her room. She rubbed her eyes tiredly and was just barely able to make out a familiar outline standing beside her bed, its features cloaked by the darkness. "Dad? Is that you?"

"It's me, sweetie," came the gruff voice of Mr Satan. However, it felt much different than she was used to. It felt… cold, and there was a niggling sensation in the back of Videl's mind telling her something was wrong.

"But Dad, I thought you were on a business trip," she said cautiously, trying to assess the situation.

"Oh, that ended sooner than I expected, so I thought I'd come home," responded the figure.

Lightning suddenly flashed outside, illuminating the shadowy figure's features for just a second, revealing them to indeed be those of Mr Satan. However, the look on his face was unlike anything Videl had ever seen on her father. His smile was cold and calculating, and carried the faintest trace of maliciousness. It was a stark contrast to the warm, caring, yet unabashedly proud smile she was so used to seeing

Videl suppressed a gulp and reached under her pillow, pretending to stretch and grabbing the senzu bean in the process. "Well, alright then," she told the man. "Do you need something?" A quick glance at the clock on the wall told her the time. "It's one in the morning, Dad, you should get some sleep."

The figure said nothing for a few seconds, simply choosing to observe her. Videl felt a chill run down her spine as lightning flashed once more, and the shadowed man's eyes met her own. "You can't fool me," he said suddenly.

Videl blinked. "What?"

The man chuckled darkly. "I can see it in your eyes… in your body language. You know I'm not your father, so there's no use trying to deceive you. And you, young lady, can cut the act."

Videl's eyes narrowed, the girl trying to ignore the hammering in her chest. "Who are you?"

"I am someone searching for the same thing you are," the man stated firmly. "The Dragon Balls. I know you have one. Give it to me."

"What makes you think you can order me around?" Videl shot back. "You clearly know who my father is, so you should know that threatening me is the stupidest thing you can do."

The man chuckled once more – a cold chuckle that reverberated around the room. The click of a handgun was heard in the darkness. "You're in no position to be making to be making counterthreats."

Videl exhaled loudly, trying to keep her nerves under control. "Alright, you win. I'll give you the Dragon Ball. Just please don't hurt me."

"That's the spirit," the man said, an achingly fake kindness in his tone.

Videl slipped off her bed and walked to her bedside dresser. She opened it up and leaned down as if to rummage through it, but stealthily popped the senzu into her mouth and swallowed without chewing. In an instant, all her energy came back to her, the fatigue from earlier completely dissipating.

Her hands found the familiar orange ball, and she pulled it out of the draw, turning to face the man as she did so. Another bolt of lightning flashed outside, revealing a sharklike grin on his features. "That's a good girl. Now hand it over."

Videl looked down at the Dragon Ball, then back at the man. Without a word, she threw the ball at the gun-wielding figure like she would a basketball, putting all her strength into it. The man gasped as the object crashed against his chest, dropping the gun in the process. However, he was still able to catch the ball, just barely.

"Eagle Kick!"

Before the stunned figure could respond, a powerful flying foot collided with his chest, sending him hurtling out the window, shattering the glass, and plummeting to the ground below.

Videl panted heavily, struggling to catch her breath as her barely-suppressed nerves shot to the surface. "Who… the hell… was that!?"

"A very dangerous man you've just managed to piss off."

The crime fighter gasped and stared out the now broken window, shocked beyond belief to see an exact copy of her father hovering in the air, glaring at her with eyes brimming with almost tangible bloodlust. His brown gi top cloaked his broad-shouldered figure, and his championship belt was proudly wrapped around his waist. But his eyes… his eyes were downright murderous.

Videl glanced at her phone, sitting on her bedside table, out of the corner of the eye, and sighed. _'Forgive me, Gohan, but this is my fight.'_

With that she leapt out the window and floated directly before the fake Mr Satan, fixing him with her most fierce glare and paying no heed to the vicious raindrops pelting against her skin. She ignored the chill penetrating her to the core – the temperature now far colder than it had been the previous evening – and turned her full attention to the flying figure in front of her.

"Oh ho, well isn't this something?" the impostor exclaimed, genuine surprise showing on his face for the first time. "Looks like the spawn is a far cry from her phony of a father."

Videl scowled ferociously, a fury she'd never felt before coursing through her veins. "I will break you," she seethed with barely restrained rage.

A bolt of lightning struck the ground beside the Satan Manor, signalling the beginning of the battle.

* * *

 **AN: Well. That happened.**

 **Hi all. First off, I'd like to apologise for waiting so long to bring out this chapter. The past few months have been hectic, what with work, sickness, personal issues, and the dreaded writer's block all ganging up to kick my ass. But I persevered, forcing myself to write a little bit every now and then until I got my groove back. This chapter is the end result.**

 **A lot of stuff happened, and the chapter ended up far longer than I originally envisioned, but I couldn't bring myself to end it at an earlier point. I didn't want to rush anything either. In any case, I'm quite happy with how it turned out.**

 **I should also note that I went back and reread this fic from the beginning, fixing up any grammar mistakes I found. I think I got them all, but typos and the like are tricky, and pop up even when you don't expect them.**

 **There will be no omake featuring the adventures of the Saiyabrats this chapter, as I was struggling to come up with a good one, and didn't want to delay the update any longer or put out something subpar in a rush. However, they will return next chapter. If you have any suggestions for what kind of mischief the Saiyabrats can get up to, I'd be glad to hear them, and might even include them in future chapters.**

 **The next chapter shouldn't take anywhere near as long to come out as this one did, as I quite enjoy writing fight scenes, and they actually come easier to me than writing the rest of the story. I've also been looking forward to this upcoming one ever since I first got the idea for it early last year.**

 **Lastly, I want to thank everyone who favourited, followed and reviewed this fic. You guys are awesome, and my biggest motivation to keep writing. As always, I would greatly appreciate any further feedback, even if it's just people making guesses as to who the Mr Satan lookalike Videl is about the fight is.**

 **Until next time!**


	11. Fight for your Life

**Rising to the Challenge – The Legacy of Son Gohan**

 **Chapter 11 – Fight for your Life**

 _"Eagle Kick!"_

 _Before the stunned figure could respond, a powerful flying foot collided with his chest, sending him hurtling out the window, shattering the glass, and plummeting to the ground below._

 _Videl panted heavily, struggling to catch her breath as her barely-suppressed nerves shot to the surface. "Who… the hell… was that!?"_

 _"A very dangerous man you've just managed to piss off."_

 _The crime fighter gasped and stared out the now broken window, shocked beyond belief to see an exact copy of her father hovering in the air, glaring at her with eyes brimming with almost tangible bloodlust. His brown gi top cloaked his broad-shouldered figure, and his championship belt was proudly wrapped around his waist. But his eyes… his eyes were downright murderous._

 _Videl glanced at her phone, sitting on her bedside table, out of the corner of the eye, and sighed._ 'Forgive me, Gohan, but this is my fight.'

 _With that she leapt out the window and floated directly before the fake Mr Satan, fixing him with her most fierce glare and paying no heed to the vicious raindrops pelting against her skin. She ignored the chill penetrating her to the core – the temperature now far colder than it had been the previous evening – and turned her full attention to the flying figure in front of her._

 _"Oh ho, well isn't this something?" the impostor exclaimed, genuine surprise showing on his face for the first time. "Looks like the spawn is a far cry from her phony of a father."_

 _Videl scowled ferociously, a fury she'd never felt before coursing through her veins. "I will break you," she seethed with barely restrained rage._

 _A bolt of lightning struck the ground beside the Satan Manor, signalling the beginning of the battle._

* * *

Videl flared her ki and rushed at her opponent with her right arm pulled back, then thrust her fist towards his face at blinding speed, aiming to cave his skull in with a devastating strike.

However, much to her displeasure, the man impersonating the father caught her punch with his left hand and sneered. "Pathetic." He then lashed out with a front kick that struck Videl in the gut, sending her flying backwards a few metres. He tilted his head curiously. "Perhaps I was wrong in my initial assessment."

Videl grit her teeth angrily and steadied herself in mid-air, then rushed the impostor again, this time circling around him and peppering him with a plethora of left-handed jabs. Unfortunately for the crime fighter, none of her strikes hit their mark, the floating figure bobbing and weaving like a pro as he avoided the light punches.

Videl halted her assault and was about to change tactics, when suddenly the man flashed right in front of her, startling the girl and causing her eyes to widen. Before she could respond, he drove his head forward and rammed his brow into hers with a with a sickening crack, making her wince. He followed this up by jabbing his toes into her right shin and smashing a roundhouse kick against the left side of her head.

The blow sent the dazed crime fighter careening through the air, right towards the Satan Manor. Just as she was about to collide headfirst with the side of the white-bricked mansion, she managed to thrust out her hands and slam them against the surface, stopping her momentum and ultimately saving her brain from being splattered against the hard material.

However, Videl wasn't given a second to rest, a quick rush of wind directly behind her alerting the girl to further danger. With adrenaline pumping through her veins, she quickly flung herself to the side just as the impostor pierced the brick surface with a savage kick aimed exactly where her head had been moments before.

The man then retreated backwards a bit, his hands clasped confidently behind his back and no discernible exertion visible on his face. Videl, meanwhile, was panting heavily, both from shock and pain. Her palms were stinging, and the left side of her head felt like it was ablaze. She glared fiercely at the man who was casually kicking her around the manor grounds, realising to much frustration that he hadn't even used his hands yet. He was simply toying with her.

 _'This bastard is strong…'_ she thought warily.

Now more cautious in her approach, despite her rapidly beating heart, Videl slowly levitated forward and started circling her opponent. She let loose two left jabs, which he dodged by simply bobbing his head, and then rushed in, firing off two quick hooks aimed at his temples, which he aptly avoided by weaving his head in a semi-circular motion – just like she was expecting.

Wanting to capitalise on this, Videl tried to rattle his brain with a monstrous right uppercut. Unfortunately for her, he tilted his entire body backwards, doing a mid-air backflip and using the momentum to kick her in the chin.

The crime fighter shot upwards from the blow, and before she could attempt to gather her bearings, the Mr Satan lookalike did a somersault and slammed his foot down upon her chest like a hammer, knocking the wind out of the girl and sending her rocketing towards the ground.

To Videl's good fortune, she collided with the grass of her mansion's lawn instead of the hard gravel of the pathway, which would've surely broken her back. Nonetheless, the collision still made her cry out in both shock and pain.

Panting heavily, she pulled herself up to her feet and levelled her most menacing glare at the man she was fighting, who was simply staring back down at her, unmoving. His gaze was cold, calculating, and altogether merciless. Briefly, the idea to somehow call Gohan sprang to Videl's mind, but the girl immediately discarded it.

She'd made her choice in initiating this battle, and she wouldn't be so cowardly as to forfeit it. She was a fighter, and she knew she could beat him. This guy was strong, but he was also overconfident, and seemed to be greatly underestimating her – on top of that, he knew nothing of her abilities aside from flight. All she needed was one chance… one moment to take advantage of his cockiness, cripple him, and turn the battle back in her favour.

Exhaling loudly in an attempt to calm herself down, Videl quickly took to the air just as another bolt of lightning cracked the ground. Ignoring the raindrops assaulting her bare skin, she flew over to the side of her mansion and used the white brick as a springboard to shoot herself at her opponent like a torpedo.

The girl clenched her fists and pulled them as if to throw a double punch, scowling at her opponent so as to mask her intentions. Just before she was about to make contact, she thrust her hands forward as though they were a pair of spears. "Ha!"

The man was taken by complete surprise as two small balls of ki burst from Videl's palms and exploded against his face. He let out a high-pitched squeal – the most emotion he'd shown all battle – and instinctively grabbed his face with his hands.

 _'Perfect.'_

Videl let loose a spirited battle cry and began laying into the man's midsection with a brutal barrage of punches. She targeted his gut, kidneys and ribs with reckless abandon, channelling her rage and frustration into every blow, the thump of each strike heard even over the torrential downpour.

As powerful as this man was, not even he could tank such a devastating onslaught, and the slight but sudden crack of his ribs caused his arms to drop.

 _'Now!'_

Having accomplished her goal of exposing his face, Videl immediately brought her hands up and roughly gripped his hair, then thrust her knee upwards while simultaneously pulling his head downwards. A nauseating crack reverberated through the air as hard bone met brittle cartilage, and the wounded man let out yet another screech, the sheer force of the blow lifting his whole body higher into the air.

In a manoeuvre similar to what he had done before, Videl clasped her hands together and smashed a vicious hammerfist down upon his chest, sending him crashing into the ground below like a meteorite. Unlike her, however, he had landed right on the hard surface of the main pathway instead of the far softer grass.

Seeing a potential end to the fight, Videl grit her teeth and threw herself at her downed opponent, wanting to finish him with an elbow drop to the sternum.

"Dodonpa!"

It was only because of reflexes honed through years of combat that Videl was able to instinctively tilt her head to the side just as a laser beam-like ray of orange ki flew past her face. However, she wasn't quick enough to avoid the surprise attack completely, and was forced to shriek as the searing hot energy carved a trench into her left cheek, ultimately halting her descent.

Videl's hand flew to her wounded face, the girl trying to ignore the intense burning sensation and slick, rubbery blood pouring from the gash. Her vision turned red as she glared at her attacker, who was staggering to his feet. "You motherf-"

"Dodonpa!"

A second beam of ki stopped Videl mid-sentence, and she was forced to lunge out of the way of the blast. She then had to lunge back in the other direction, as another Dodonpa was shot directly at her. This pattern persisted for a while, the man on the ground content to fire off a bevy of ki beams at his raven-haired opponent.

 _'This son of a bitch is persistent,'_ Videl growled mentally, aerially lunging from side to side to avoid getting impaled by the attacks, all the while resenting the fact that the man impersonating her father was also recovering from the attack she'd just dealt him. _'Just how big are his damn ki reserves?'_

When her breathing began getting heavy and sweat started pouring down her brow, mixing with the rainwater and blood on her cheek, she knew she couldn't keep this up – she had to change up her game plan, or else she'd get skewered.

"Dodonpa!"

Videl screamed as a sudden lance of orange ki grazed her waist, the girl having been too slow to dodge the latest attack. Rolling haphazardly through the air, her eyes darted around her mansion's gigantic front yard, searching for something that could help her escape this predicament.

Not a moment too soon, her attention fell on the six gargantuan, golden statues of her father which were lining the Satan Manor's main pathway. Flaring her ki, she sped towards one of the statues, and dove behind it just as another Dodonpa singed the edges of her hair and impacted upon the proud, grinning face of her father, rendering the statue headless with a small explosion.

Videl collapsed to the ground, panting exhaustedly, and hoping to use this brief break from the fighting to catch her breath. Sadly, she wasn't even given the opportunity, as a Dodonpa collided against the body of the statue with a clang. Seconds later, the tall sculpture started tumbling forward.

Videl gasped and shot to her feet, then executed a forward roll just as the monument crashed onto the ground. Had she been a second too slow to act, she would've been squished like a common insect.

The crime fighter scowled and grit her teeth so hard she could hear them creaking. Just when she thought she had gained an advantage in this battle, the rug was swept out from under her, as her father's evil doppelganger mounted a counterattack. He was making it look so easy and effortless, like he was mocking her. Adopting the appearance of Mr Satan himself only drove the knife in deeper.

What the hell was the point of all her training with Gohan if a trickster like this chump could make her look like a joke? A tear slipped down her cheek, getting lost among the raindrops, and thunder rumbled around her. The girl glanced at the fallen statue of her father, its head completely vaporised. She always hated the garish things, thinking of them as nothing more than eyesores. But now, after seeing what this picture represented, and how it spat on the legacy of her father… her family… it triggered something inside of her.

The damn then broke, but the waterworks quelled, just as a bolt of lightning struck the ground. Videl wiped the tears from her eyes with her wrist, unintentionally smudging her face with the blood from her wounded cheek and giving her a demonic visage. A fierce glare etched its way onto her face, which she directed at her opponent. This was the first time she'd gotten a good look at him since her initial assault.

The man, who looked like an exact replica of her father, glared right back at her, his index finger pointing threateningly in her direction. His eyes – the skin around them black and bruised – were narrowed and angry, creased red lines creeping along his sclera, and blood smeared the skin around his now crooked nose. His lips then curled upwards into a gruesome smile, clearly visible beneath his bushy moustache. "Dodonpa!"

Videl tilted her head to the side, allowing the beam to sail harmlessly behind her. She then bent her legs, and launched herself at the faker with all the speed she could muster. His smile dropped, and he fired another Dodonpa at her.

However, Videl was easily able to avoid this one too, simply zigzagging past it. The world around her seemed to spin; a completely foreign experience for the girl. Another beam of orange ki was aptly dodged, and before the crime fighter knew it, she was directly in front of her target.

The man only had a second to widen his eyes before Videl bent her head and speared him with the force of a locomotive, the momentum carrying the pair through the air. Tightening her grip around her foe's waist, the girl flared her ki and propelled herself towards one of the trees situated on the mansion's grounds. Such was the speed of Videl's tackle, the faker didn't even have time to gather his bearings before his body was driven into the rough bark with a nauseating crack.

Disengaging herself from her stunned opponent, Videl paid no heed to the plainly visible human-shaped crater in the wood, and chose instead to grab him by the neck with her left hand, then start laying into him with a vicious bombardment of punches.

"I'll teach you to make a fool out of me!" she spat out through the salvo of savage strikes, watching as his face became more and more disfigured with every blow.

However, the man still had some fight left in him, as he was able to lift his right leg high enough to stamp down on her left foot.

Videl yelped as her bare toes were trodden on by his heavy boot, and this brief pause allowed him the opportunity to swing his right elbow up against her chin, then send her flying backwards with a left straight.

The crime fighter fell onto the grass, but quickly rose to her feet with a kip up, and adopted a standard fighting pose; she tilted her body to the left, bent her knees slightly, and spread her legs until they rested in a horse stance. Both her fists were clenched, with her right hand facing towards her front, bent at the elbow, and her left hand pulled back.

Her opponent, meanwhile, took on a similar stance, only his legs were spread even further, to the point that he bent down quite low. His left fist was cocked back past his ribs, while his right arm was bent in front of him and pointing upwards, the palm opened slightly, and his index and middle fingers extended.

"I admit, I never expected such a fight from you," the man finally spoke, his tone steely.

"I'm all about exceeding expectations," Videl responded icily. "Just who are you."

"I suppose you've earnt that much," her opponent said in the familiar yet chillingly cold voice of her father. "My name is Kage, and I'm an assassin. I also dabble in a bit of mercenary work here and there."

"A gun for hire? I figured," Videl scowled. "Just how are you able to look like my father? And who trained you? I've fought assassins before, but none of them were at your level."

Kage chuckled darkly, a malicious grin spreading across his lips. "Now, now, I never said I'd answer all of your questions. All I'm going to say is, I was once apprenticed to the famous mercenary, Tao Pai Pai. That should tell you enough."

Videl's blood ran cold. She was indeed familiar with the notorious Mercenary Tao. He was one of the few people her father expressly warned to avoid at all costs. She agreed, of course, but being the inquisitive, budding detective she was, she tried researching the man, wanting to know just why Mr Satan was so wary of him.

There wasn't much information on Tao, other than the fact that he was the brother of the Crane Hermit, appeared in the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai, and killed her father's master, seriously injuring her father himself in the process. That last part shocked her, as she held her father in the highest regard, thinking him almost invincible. Perhaps that incident was what spurred him on to go and become the Strongest Under the Heavens.

"I can tell you've heard of my master," Kage observed, shaking Videl from her thoughts. "Good. It means you know just how far out of your depth you are."

Videl merely scoffed in disdain. "Just because your master is some kind of monster doesn't mean the same reputation extends to you."

Kage's lip curled. "Careful what you say, girlie. I've humoured you up until now, but you don't want to get on my bad side."

This time Videl couldn't help but snort. "Is that so? Well, now that you've mentioned it, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. And quite frankly, based on your performance so far, I don't think I have any reason to worry either."

Kage's eyes narrowed, a deadly gleam visible in his irises. Without so much as a sound, he dashed forward, wanting to be the first to attack. Videl, however, was never one to like being on the defensive, so she lunged forward with her left leg just as her opponent came into range, surprising him with her speed, and drove her left elbow into his sternum like a hammer.

The assassin gasped as the wind was taken out of him, and was left unable to respond as Videl followed up her strike with a back fist to the nose, a downwards hammerfist to the groin, and a right cross to the nose. The wounded man cried out and staggered backwards helplessly, clutching his injured face with both hands.

Videl chose to capitalise on this chance and rushed forward, peppering Kage's midsection with a shotgun-like barrage of punches and kicks, the assassin being pushed back by the intense pressure. Inwardly, she was stunned by just how fast she was moving, having never reached such speeds before.

Kage eventually managed to gather his bearings before being completely overwhelmed, and parried one of Videl's chest punches before countering with a right palm directly to her face. Not pulling his hand away, he grabbed the girl's head with a tight grip, dug his fingers into her skin – making her shriek in pain – and raked them across her eyes. He then followed this up by clapping her ears with his hands, and launching a deadly thrust kick at her neck, no doubt intending to crush her trachea.

Ignoring the ringing sensation in her ears and stinging in her eyes, Videl traced the trajectory of her foe's kick, and tilted her head up just before it made contact, allowing it to strike her on the underside of the chin. She used this momentum to propel herself high into the air, and land onto the ground with a smooth backflip.

Before Kage could attack again, she sprinted towards him, the assassin yet again unable to keep up with her speed, and leapt towards his face. She wrapped her legs around his neck in a head scissors manoeuvre, spun herself 180 degrees, and flung him into the distance. The man went sailing through the air for several metres before hitting the grass face first, kicking up dirt upon impact.

Videl then pounced on his back and locked in a rear naked choke, tightening her grip and making the now red-faced assassin splutter helplessly as his breath slowly left him. His hands desperately clawed at her wrists like a distressed cat, his nails leaving thin scratches across her skin. Seeing that this were doing no good, he changed up his approach and grasped the girl's wrists in an attempt to wrench his head free of her submission hold.

However, Videl didn't loosen her grip.

This struggle persisted for a while, both combatants gritting their teeth exhaustedly as rain pelted furiously upon them. Eventually, Kage's greater brute strength won out, and the assassin managed to make just enough space to clamp his teeth into his female opponent's right wrist, gouging a hole into the soft flesh with his sharp incisors.

Videl screamed in pain and loosened her grip, but Kage wasn't prepared to let her get away. He grabbed her arms, making sure to dig his digits into her new wound and eliciting yet another anguished cry from the girl, and levitated off the ground. He then hurled himself backwards and slammed Videl's body into one of the still-standing statues of Mr Satan.

The crime fighter spat out a wad of blood from the force of the impact, and then gasped as her more experienced opponent rammed two elbows into her ribs. Kage let go of the girl and turned around, then snarled as he aimed a powerful punch directly at her head, wanting to splatter her head against the gold.

Unfortunately for him, Videl had enough composure left to sink into a crouch, ducking underneath the blow, and land a brutal uppercut to Kage's groin. The assassin's eyes bulged out of his sockets as his mouth shot open, and his hands immediately dropped to cradle his mangled manhood.

"No mercy, you cold-hearted son of a bitch!" Videl roared as her right fist flew up once again and a second uppercut smashed into the underside of her opponent's exposed chin, knocking him on his backside.

While he lay squirming on the ground, Videl took a moment to catch her breath. Her back was still aching tremendously from being slammed into the Mr Satan statue, her cheek and wrist wounds were stinging like mad, and her ribs felt like they were about to cave in on her – needless to say, she was in a bad state. The best she could hope for was that her opponent was faring even worse.

However, much to her surprise, Kage staggered to his feet, one hand still clutching his injured balls, and pure rage emanating from his burly frame. "You fucking bitch!" he boomed bitterly. "I'll have your head for this!"

With an infuriated shout, the assassin charged at Videl and lashed out at the girl, swinging his arms and legs irately, all his earlier poise gone. The crime fighter could easily track his movements, and countered his wide, uncoordinated attacks with precise, calculated strikes of her own, slowly wearing the disguised man down.

"Just… stay… still!" Kage growled, maintaining his onslaught but ultimately getting nowhere.

Over the course of the fight, Videl had come to attribute the cause of her drastic speed increase to her training with Gohan. This marked the first time since the beginning of her lessons that she was without her weighted clothing for something other than sleeping or showering. Clearly it had paid off, and the crime fighter was ecstatic at how much she'd improved. It gave her hope. She knew this fight was hers.

Videl caught Kage's punch with her left hand, and was about to fire back with a punch of her own, when suddenly a sharp pain was felt in her palm, followed by a sick, squelching sound. She was then forced to let out a bloodcurdling yell as a serrated silver blade pierced her flesh.

Tears welled in Videl's eyes as her attention turned to the jagged knife protruding from the back of her hand, the gleaming blade coated in a thick layer of crimson blood – her blood. She pulled her hand free of the blade, dazed, and spotted the sharp piece of silver poking out between Kage's fingers.

He had been planning for her to catch his punch all along.

The assassin chuckled cruelly, and landed a ferocious roundhouse kick to Videl's head, knocking her to the ground. The crime fighter lay helpless on the cold, wet grass as her malicious opponent walked up to her prone form and kicked her several times in the ribs, further damaging the already bruised bones.

Kage grabbed a handful of Videl's hair and pulled her roughly to her feet, turning the girl towards him until he could glare into her eyes with his own. Seeing that her consciousness was fading, he gave her a tremendous slap that jolted her awake. "I'm not done with you yet, bitch," he seethed through gritted teeth. "I want you to be awake when I jam my knife right through-"

The assassin never got to finish his sentence as Videl brought her foot up and aimed a quick snap kick directly at his already wounded testicles. Like last time, Kage's eyes bulged out of his sockets, and he was rendered defenceless when the girl knocked the knife out of his hand and smacked him to the ground with a vicious backhand.

"You dumbass!" she spat at his whimpering form, the man feebly attempting to crawl away from her. "I thought the big, bad assassin would know better than to gloat when he had victory within his grasp!"

To Videl's surprise, Kage's response was to flip onto his back and point his finger at her head. "Dodonpa!"

The crime fighter dove out of the way of the blast, wincing when her sore body collided with the hard ground. She then staggered to her feet, but was immediately forced to leap to the side as another beam of ki exploded at her feet.

"Dodonpa!"

This time Videl flipped backwards and cast her gaze to the source of the attacks; Kage was hovering high in the air, his left hand protectively clutching his groin while his right hand was cocked like a gun, pointing menacingly in her direction. _'So you want to play this game again, huh? Fine by me. Whether it's on the ground or in the sky, your ass is mine!'_

Videl levitated upwards and over another Dodonpa, then thrust her arm out and fired several small ki blasts at her opponent, after which she rushed at him with her fists pulled back.

Kage simply shifted his right hand to his front, and seamlessly batted away the balls of energy. When the girl reached him she lashed out with a fierce punch to the head, but Kage was able to parry it away. She followed this up with another close-range barrage of punches and kicks, but the assassin effortlessly deflected each one.

Videl's eyes widened as her assault amounted to nothing, then gasped as two quick jabs struck her face, knocking her backwards. _'Wh-what the hell? How is he doing this? He was getting overwhelmed before!'_

"Well, well, this is interesting," Kage commented as he dashed in front of Videl and kicked her in the gut. "Someone is a rookie when it comes to aerial combat!" he taunted, giving the girl two swift slaps and smashing a left hook into her temple. "Your ki blasts are pathetic too! You're nothing but a one-dimensional brawler! I don't know who taught you to fight, but they did a lousy job!" A spinning back kick then smashed into Videl's sternum, sending her shooting towards the ground.

The crime fighter drew from the deepest wells of her willpower, and mustered enough strength to halt her descent. Panting heavily, with blood dripping down her face, arms and hands, she floated up and glared at Kage. "It's been bugging me the entire fight, but I think I've figured it out," she gasped in between laboured breaths.

"What nonsense are you spouting this time?" the assassin snapped, just as a bolt of lightning struck the ground.

Videl smirked, baring her bloodstained teeth at the man. "Guns, knives, ki blasts that burn holes into people… I've seen it before." Kage's eye twitched, but he said nothing. "An experienced assassin, trained by one of the most feared mercenaries in the world; a shadowy figure, keeping his true identity hidden by masquerading as others; the name Kage, represented by a crest with a red K."

Just what are you getting at?" the man spat, finally losing his patience.

"What I'm getting at," Videl grinned, "is that I know who you are, and where your secret base is… way over in Fukurou Forest."

Kage's eyes widened almost imperceptibly, and a thin bead of sweat trailed down his temple, just barely visible through the raindrops. "You've clearly taken too many blows to the head," he scoffed. "I have no idea what you're getting at."

Videl couldn't help but chuckle despite the state she was in. "You can't fool me, Kage. You may be good at reading people, but so am I. I do detective work for the police for a reason, you know."

The assassin opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it, clearly lost for words. "So what if you've figured me out?" he asked after a long pause. "It's not like it'll mean much after I silence you permanently."

"That might be true…" Videl replied tauntingly, "but that won't restore your base after what I've done to it."

Kage's face turned an ashen white in a rare display of emotion. "What?"

Videl's grin morphed into a triumphant sneer. "If you must know, I blew that place up!" She laughed mockingly. "Your arms stash, your fluffy bed, that computer you stored all your information on… all gone! Talk about coincidence!"

A myriad of emotions flashed across Kage's features, ranging from shock, to horror, to despair, and finally to anger. His face scrunched up sickeningly, and his eyes narrowed dangerously at the target of his ire.

Before Videl could provoke him any further, the assassin suddenly disappeared from view with a pop, and the next thing she knew an airborne cutlass was racing towards her head. Stunned, she ducked underneath the onrushing blade, but not before losing a few strands of hair. The sword then turned around and slashed at her diagonally.

The crime fighter sidestepped the swing, but was then forced to twist her body like an acrobat to dodge the sword's follow up strikes, its movements becoming more erratic by the swing – so frenzied was the onslaught, she wasn't even able to process just what the hell was happening, instead being preoccupied by trying to avoid being turned into a human kebab.

Sweat ran down her race, her heart pounding rapidly; she could feel the cold, cruel surface of the cutlass nicking her skin with every avoided attack. The sword was ruthless in its assault, and she couldn't keep this up forever, her already dwindling stamina at almost critical levels. The sense of panic welling up within the pit of her stomach was building with each narrow dodge, until finally it reached a crescendo and Videl's focus wavered for just a split second.

The girl then yelped as the sword sliced her thigh, just barely able to swing her right leg out of the way of a low slash. She gritted her teeth, blood dribbling down her chin, and tried to calm herself down. No matter how bizarre the situation was; no matter how confused she was by this trickery, she had to fight back. She had far too much to live for… far too much she wanted to accomplish… she couldn't let it end here.

Videl inhaled and exhaled deeply, an image of Gohan flashing through her mind, and weaved her head around a thrust aimed at her skull. She cast away all errant thoughts about where Kage was, and how the hell a sword could float, and focused all her attention on the cutlass itself. Its curved silver blade gleamed in the moonlight, sporadic flashes of lightning illuminating the raindrops that slid down the sleek metal. Her heartbeat slowed.

A slash to her belly was evaded by floating just out of reach of the blade. A subsequent slash to her feet was avoided by a quick mid-air hop. A thrust to the neck was ducked underneath. The sword then rose itself high into the air, and swung down at her with such ferocity, as though it were a weapon sent from the heavens themselves, its main goal being to cleave the raven-haired crimefighter in two.

It was not to be, however, as the moment before she was bifurcated by the blade, Videl raised her hands and clasped the sides of the steel, halting the sword's descent. The veins in her temples throbbing from exertion, the girl tried to twist her hands to the side so as to snap the blade in half. The metal twisted just an inch, and Videl felt the slightest hint of victory.

Much to her surprise, the sword then vanished with a pop, and her hands were blown apart. Videl only had a second to take in the large round body, ridged grey skin and curved, deadly-looking horn jutting from the head of the rhino that had materialised in front her, before the colossal beast rammed its powerful frame forward.

The crime fighter could only thrust her hands against the sides of the horn and jam her legs against the animal's upper lip, then lean back as far as she could to avoid getting impaled. Unfortunately, this was not enough to stop the rhino's charge, and before Videl knew it her back collided with the white-bricked side of the Satan Manor with such force that it cracked the hard surface.

She then let out a hair-raising scream of pure agony, as a kind of pain she'd never felt before spread from her right leg. In the periphery of her vision, the girl could see the rhino's horn stabbing all the way through her thigh and denting the mansion itself. The blood drained from her face as her consciousness began to fade.

Videl was then jolted awake when a large hand grabbed her face and started swinging her from side to side. Through stifled screams she recognised the familiar form of Kage – yet again disguised as Mr Satan – as her assailant.

Her cheek burned even hotter, and the assassin seemed all too aware of this, as he jammed his fingers into the wound as though they were daggers. The girl tried to shout, but the sound was muffled by Kage's palm, and she was rendered mute as the dizziness from being swung around like a human bat built.

Continuing his relentless assault, Kage smashed the back of Videl's head into the white brick of the mansion behind her, jerking the girl from yet another bout of near-unconsciousness. As her head was slammed into the brick over and over, she couldn't help but wonder just when the end would come. _'I'm in some real deep shit this time,'_ she thought amid a spell of nausea.

Kage suddenly let go of Videl's head, giving her a chance to breath, but her relief was short-lived, as the assassin instead grabbed hold of her feet and spun her around like a top before flinging her into her bedroom. The girl sailed through the broken window and fell onto her dresser, breaking the piece of furniture and sending clothes flying about the room.

Videl coughed and winced as tiny splinters of wood peppered her already injured body, but had enough sense to take advantage of this break from the beating, and cover her hands over the entry and exit points of the horn attack on her thigh. She ignored the disgusting sensation of blood and channelled a tiny bit of ki through her hands, not enough to make a ball, but enough to cauterise the wound like she'd seen Gohan do to the monkey earlier in the day.

The girl seethed through gritted teeth at the stinging pain, but persevered through it – after all, a little bit of ki cauterisation couldn't compare to the pounding she'd suffered at the hands of Kage. She wouldn't bow down just yet. She couldn't submit just yet. It wasn't the Satan way.

Once she was done, and the flow of blood had stopped completely, she stumbled to her feet and stared out the window at the assassin, who was calmly hovering in the air just as he'd done at the beginning of their battle.

The man quirked a brow amusedly. "You've cauterised your wound? Impressive." His praise actually sounded genuine. "I prefer it this way. It means I get to see the light leave your eyes."

Videl didn't know what Kage was planning, but it couldn't be good. The ball was in his court. Her eyes darted around the room, desperately searching for something she could use to turn the tide in her favour. In the meantime, she had to take advantage of the assassin's cockiness and keep him talking.

"Just… what are you?" she panted laboriously.

Kage chuckled triumphantly. "I am a shapeshifter," he revealed, causing the girl's eyes to widen. She didn't even know those things existed. At the same time, her eyes caught a glimpse of a box beneath her bed, and shot open once more.

"A shapeshifter, huh?" Videl ground out, struggling to even speak. "Interesting. Think you could show me how to become one? Seems like it would come in handy in a fight."

This time Kage laughed. "There's no point though, is there?" he exclaimed hauntingly, raising his right index finger and pointing it in her direction.

"Perhaps not," Videl sighed, shifting her left foot and left arm forward in a defensive stance, and hiding her right hand behind her back.

A large ball of ki began to coalesce at the tip of Kage's finger, while at the same time Videl moulded the ki in her right hand into a sphere, shaping it to look like an exact replica of a baseball. She thought about the rough, bumpy surface of the ball, and of the stitching that gave it its swerve, using the picture in her mind to add detail to the now glowing orb tingling tantalisingly in her palm.

This was what she'd been working on when she mentioned a secret weapon to Gohan. It wasn't something as grand or majestic as the Kamehameha, but it was something personal to her; something that represented a sport she was among the best at; something that gave her comfort and confidence; something of her own make, born out of a labour of love and necessity, that only she could rely on.

The ki building at Kage's fingertip had now ballooned to the size of a beach ball, and was shining a sickening orange in the darkness of the night, blotting out the faint moonlight. A crack of thunder rumbled, and Kage opened his mouth, "Super Dodon-"

"Rrrahh!" Videl quickly brought her two hands together and stamped her left foot onto the ground, then hurled her baseball-like sphere of energy at the assassin's face, the ball exploding against his eyes before he could finish uttering his attack.

The man screamed and covered his face with his hands, inadvertently redirecting the trajectory of his own ki blast and sending it shooting into the sky. Videl heard a second, far louder explosion, alongside the smashing of tiles, but ignored it and dove to the foot of her bed. She ripped open the box resting under the mattress, revealing it to be stacked with sets of weighted clothing given to her by Gohan.

Knowing she had only a few seconds to act, Videl wrapped two white shirts around her hands, both staunching the flow of blood from her knife wound and acting as a pair of makeshift boxing gloves. She ignored the added weight on her hands, having already gotten used to it, and dashed out of the window towards the target of her fury, who was still clutching his face and screaming up a storm.

Videl exhaled deeply as she sped towards him and pulled her left arm back, then unloaded a debilitating hook to Kage's ribs. A revolting crack sounded through the air, and the crime fighter could feel her foe's ribcage collapse under the weight of her blow and shatter into pieces.

The assassin let out another horrific scream and his hands reflexively dropped to tend to his ribcage, leaving his face exposed. Videl duly took advantage of this opportunity by pulling her right hand back and slamming a fist into his bearded face. She cringed at the feeling of the man's skull caving inwards, and tried to ignore both his bloodcurdling yells and the pang of pity she felt.

Kage floated backwards, dazed but still not out, and tried to regain his composure. Videl, however, was having none of it, and rushed after him with her left hand pulled back. She then unloaded another cross at his head, hearing something else crack in the process. The assassin stumbled around in the air for a few seconds before tilting backwards and plunging towards the ground.

Videl watched his fall briefly, contemplating what to do, but when she saw his hands twitch and feebly clench into fists, she knew her work wasn't yet done. With a resigned sigh and quick prayer, she flew headfirst towards Kage and cocked back her right fist. Then, just before reaching his falling form, she thrust it forward, putting all her weight into the blow, and rammed a thunderous punch into his face.

Blood spurted from Kage's face – whether from his nose or mouth, Videl couldn't tell – and his eyes, scarred and burnt, glazed over and sunk back into his head. The broad, burly figure of Mr Satan then crashed into the hard pavement with such force it left a man-shaped crater in the concrete.

Videl halted her descent and stared at the unconscious body, panting furiously as the never-ending rain showered her in droplets of water. The weighted shirts slipped from her hands and slammed into the ground below with a thud. A pop was then heard and the body of her father disappeared with a small puff of smoke. When it cleared, it revealed the small figure of a pig, clad in a skin-tight black bodysuit, lying prone in a crater that was far too big for its tiny frame.

Videl gaped at the sight. This was Kage's true form? A pig? She got her ass handed to her by a pig!?

The girl suddenly lurched forward and fought back the urge to puke as a sudden bout of wooziness sent her head spinning. _'Sh-shit… I've lost too much blood…'_

Before the adrenaline that was pumping through her weary body left her for good, she needed to call Gohan – he was the only one she trusted to come to her aid right now. She had won the fight against Kage by the skin of her teeth, and she wasn't conceited enough to think she hadn't gotten lucky; very, very lucky.

Placing a hand to her forehead as a migraine hit her out of nowhere, Videl floated drunkenly into her room and collapsed onto the floor. Wheezing in exertion, she rummaged through the mess that was her destroyed dresser until her hands found her phone, which was buried among a pile of oversized white shirts.

Relieved, the crime fighter navigated clumsily through menus until she found 'GOHAN' listed in her contacts, and couldn't help but sigh. _'Figures the country bumpkin would write his home phone number instead of his mobile number.'_ She clicked on the name and winced at the sound of the ringing. _'I really hope Chi-Chi doesn't pick up…'_

* * *

 **Omake – Getting Out of the Funk**

Under the sunny skies of Satan City, in a popular park frequented by both young and old alike, two oddly-garbed children swung dejectedly on a pair of swings.

The boys, known by the monikers of Saiyaboy and Saiyaprince, ignored the stunned gazes that onlookers sent their way every now and then, choosing instead to wallow in their own self-pity.

"Hey Goten," the older of the pair said, turning to face his younger friend, "how long did your mum forbid you from eating?"

Goten sniffled beneath his helmet. "A whole day! That's seven missed meals!" he huffed indignantly.

Trunks raised a brow. "Seven? You do realise there are only three meal times a day, right?"

"No, there aren't!" Goten replied heatedly. "There are seven. It goes breakfast, second breakfast, elevenses, luncheon, afternoon tea, dinner and supper," he explained, counting each meal down on his fingers.

Trunks put a hand to his chin and pondered this briefly. "Yeah, that actually sounds about right. Guess those stupid talk show hosts on TV don't know what they're talking about."

"See? Told you," Goten chirped, a hint of happiness seeping into his tone. He then turned to look at his friend. "Say, Trunks, did your mum stop you from eating, too?"

The elder demi-Saiyan shook his head in response. "Nah, but I would've gladly taken that over what happened." At his friend's inquisitive gaze, he sighed. "After you were sent home, my dad kicked my ass so bad in the Gravity Room, I couldn't even find the strength to eat. Didn't let me have a senzu either. Said my behaviour was unfitting for Saiyan royalty, and that he needed to whip me into shape through some good, old-fashioned training."

Trunks then shuddered as his mind conjured up images of that fateful day, and of the incident that prompted Vegeta's fury.

* * *

 _Anguished yells of fear and agony echoed around the Gravity Room, as Trunks and Goten fought – seemingly for their very lives – against an irate Saiyan prince as punishment for their escapades in Satan City._

 _"So, you think it's funny to have a brawl in the middle of a damn city?" Vegeta asked mockingly as he backhanded Trunks into the wall of the chamber, scowling as the boy slid down the smooth surface and plopped onto the floor. "If you're going to fight each other, do it somewhere where you won't draw the attention of the blasted media like true warriors, instead of a pair of attention-seeking brats!"_

 _Vegeta then turned his attention to Goten, who had recovered from his earlier beating and rushed the full-blooded Saiyan, peppering the prince with a barrage of punches and kicks, but to no avail. The man simply slipped past each strike with ease, then rammed his fist into the boy's gut and slammed him to the ground with a downwards kick._

 _"I don't expect much from your brainless oaf of a father, but I figured your harpy of a mother and bookworm of a brother would've taught you better," he seethed at the downed demi-Saiyan._

 _Goten's little body rumbled in rage, and the boy shot to his feet, pointing his finger menacingly at his assailant. "You take that back, Uncle Vegeta!" he shouted at the man. "Don't say mean things about my family!"_

 _Vegeta simply cackled darkly in response. "Who are you to be making demands of me, weakling? You should learn your place!"_

 _Just as he was about to attack Goten once more, he was forced to tilt his head to the side to avoid a high kick launched from behind by Trunks. "Oh, look who decided to finally join us!" he taunted. "Had a good nap, son?"_

 _Trunks' response was to attack his father with a scowl on his face. "Goten, I'll take him high, you take him low!"_

 _"Got it!" the younger demi-Saiyan replied, joining his friend in his assault._

 _The two demi-Saiyans attacked their elder in tandem, pulling off a series of nicely choreographed tag team moves honed through years of practice and watching professional wrestling._

 _Unfortunately for them, the target of their assault was far too experienced to be caught off guard by such manoeuvres, and once he'd gotten bored of dodging, flared his ki, sending the two children hurtling into the wall._

 _Goten and Trunks quickly recovered and shot towards Vegeta again, but this time the prince wasn't about to let the children play their games._

 _He disappeared from view and materialised in front of Trunks, slamming his forehead into his son's. When the boy winced and recoiled from the impact, Vegeta reached down and grabbed his legs, then swung him like a bat at the onrushing Goten, who in this instance played the role of a ball._

 _The dark-haired demi-Saiyan squealed as he went rocketing into the wall of the Gravity Room, but had enough composure to use the surface as a springboard and launch himself at Vegeta again, zigzagging through the air in an attempt to confuse the prince._

 _"Pitiful!" Vegeta exclaimed as he easily tracked Goten's movements, and smacked Trunks into him yet again._

 _Goten crashed into the wall once more, only this time he didn't get up, choosing instead to write on the ground._

 _Vegeta's eyes narrowed angrily at the soft display, and in his rage flung Trunks at his friend, smirking at the boys' combined cries of pain at the collision._

 _"Is this it?" he taunted ominously, taking a few steps towards the children, his booming footsteps almost cracking the tiled floor. "How disappointing. Perhaps you runts need a little more motivation to put up a good fight!"_

 _With an angry grunt, Vegeta's hair flashed gold and a powerful aura sprang to life around the prince as he transformed into a Super Saiyan. The pressure in the room immediately intensified, stifling the atmosphere and making it hard for the demi-Saiyans to breath._

 _Goten and Trunks staggered warily to their feet, shaking in fright at the dangerous Saiyan menacingly making his way towards them._

 _"T-Trunks, w-w-what do we do?" Goten whimpered._

 _The lavender-haired child sighed. "I'm sorry Goten, it's every man for himself!"_

 _Before Goten could question him, Trunks jumped behind his friend and pushed him towards Vegeta, the younger boy yelping as he went sailing forward. He then turned around and leapt towards the door of the chamber, only to plummet to the ground as the harsh gravity made itself known._

 _His legs having been reduced to rubbery imitations of themselves, Trunks decided to crawl towards the exit – his salvation. He ignored the agonised wails of Goten, as well as the pang of guilt welling up inside him. This was a matter of survival._

 _Just as Trunks was about to reach a hand to the door, he felt something strong grab his ankle and stop him in his tracks. With the blood training from his face, the boy shakily turned his head around, and was met with the cold, teal-eyed glare of his father. He could also spot Goten's prone form slumped against the corner of the Gravity Room._

 _Trunks gulped as Vegeta's bright orbs burned into his own._

 _"Where do you think you're going?"_

* * *

Trunks shook the horrifying thoughts from his head. He didn't need more nightmare fuel – he had plenty of that already just living in Capsule Corp.

Goten gazed at his friend with a sad expression and reached over to gently pat him on the back. "Gee, that's rough. Uncle Vegeta sure can be scary."

"Tell me about it," Trunks mumbled.

The sombre mood returned, and silence reigned between the two boys as they became lost in their thoughts.

The demi-Saiyans were then shaken from their musings after hearing frantic shouting in the distance. They shared a look. "Want to go check it out?" Goten enquired.

Trunks sighed. "Might as well. I suppose it's better than moping around here all day long."

"That's the spirit," his friend chirped as he hopped off his swing and strode towards the source of the noise. Trunks followed suit, wishing his Saiyaprince suit had pockets that he could stick his hands into while brooding. That would've looked cool.

After a few moments, the pair of superheroes found themselves at the foot of a large tree where several people had gathered. "What's all the commotion?" an irritated Trunks grumbled.

The bystanders caught sight of the children and gasped.

"It's Saiyaboy!" one man shouted.

"And Saiyaprince!" a woman added.

"Kyaaa, they're so cute!" someone squealed.

"The day is saved!" the crowd chorused.

A pair of children pushed through the mass of people, one being a grumpy-looking brown-haired boy around Trunks' age, and the other being a slightly younger blonde girl, who looked to have been crying if the tear marks under her eyes were any indication.

"So, you're the two superheroes flying around town thinking they're hot stuff, huh?" the boy exclaimed, not looking too impressed.

"Yep, that's us!" Goten exclaimed.

The surly boy snorted. "You don't look like much. But if you're really as great as people say you are, then maybe you can help us out."

"Whatever it is, we can handle it," Trunks stated confidently, moving in front of Goten and crossing his arms. This kid's attitude was getting under his skin.

"Hmph, we'll see," the boy remarked. He then pointed up at the tree. "My sister's stupid cat ran up there and doesn't want to come down."

"It's not stupid!" the little girl shrieked, all traces of sadness gone. "The reason it ran up there was because you were being mean to it!"

Her brother just snorted in response and crossed his arms. "Whatever."

Trunks' eyes narrowed at the rudeness on display, and he glanced up at tree. He could easily make out the little feline's lurid yellow eyes peeking out from behind the branches.

"Easy peasy!" Goten exclaimed. The dark-haired demi-Saiyan bent his legs and prepared to fly up and grab the cat, but was stopped when Trunks grabbed him by the shoulder.

"I got this," the lavender-haired boy stated, his tone brokering no argument. Goten merely shrugged his shoulders and backed off.

Trunks walked around the tree a few times, observing it from all angles, all the while ignoring the jeers being sent his way by the rude brown-haired kid. When he found the perfect spot, he pulled his right fist back and launched a punch at the trunk.

The onlookers gasped in surprise as the sound of the blow reverberated throughout the area, then yelped and ran around frantically when the tree started slowly tipping over. Just before it hit the ground, Trunks dashed under it and held a hand up to stop its fall, sparing the earth from another large crater.

The cat hidden among the leaves screeched and ran along the trunk, then leapt onto the stunned brown-haired kid. The boy let loose a screech of his own when the animal agitatedly scratched away at his arms and face. In his shock, he threw the cat up, and the feisty feline landed gently into the waiting arms of his sister.

The boy was about to launch into a tirade when Trunks materialised in front of him and held up a hand. "That should take care of your cat problem," the demi-Saiyan said smugly. "It probably won't be climbing up any trees anytime soon." His eyes then narrowed behind his visor. "But in the future, try not to be such a douche towards animals, unless you enjoy being used as a scratching post."

The kid's mouth flopped like a fish for a few seconds, before he sighed and nodded glumly. "Fine." He then turned around and started walking away. "Come on, let's go," he called to his sister.

The blonde girl grinned at the two superheroes. "Thanks Saiyaboy, thanks Saiyaprince! You guys rock!" The content-looking cat in her arms purred its agreement.

Trunks smirked and gave the grateful girl a nod. He then took off into the air and sped across the sky, Goten following suit. "That was fun," he admitted gleefully, fist bumping his friend. "I missed being awesome."

"Yep! But I wish you wouldn't have knocked down that poor tree. It didn't deserve that," Goten remarked mournfully.

Trunks scoffed. "It'll be fine. I put it back in its place when I was done."

"Oh, that's alright then," the younger demi-Saiyan said, perking up once more.

The duo flew serenely over Satan City, their keen eyes scanning for any signs of wrongdoing. The sullenness they were feeling earlier had completely evaporated, replaced by the excited eagerness that came with being a pair of superpowered children masquerading as superheroes.

After several minutes of flying with nothing noteworthy happening, Trunks glanced down at his watch. "Hey Goten, I think it's time for afternoon tea. What do you say we go get some food?"

"Yay, food!" the dark-haired boy cheered enthusiastically. "Let's go to that buffet place we went to when we beat up that nasty old pterodactyl. They have some pretty good food there, and lots of it!"

"A swell idea, Goten," Trunks grinned, flaring his ki and shooting off towards their new destination, his best friend trailing close behind.

* * *

 **AN: Man, it sure feels great to be able to update twice in one month. I hope this fic's first major fight lives up to expectations. I certainly had a blast writing it, and I'm more than happy with how it turned out… even if it got a little out of hand and lasted way longer than I expected.**

 **Videl was clearly out of her depth for much of the fight against Kage, but managed to pull through due to a combination of being crafty, taking her opponent by surprise, and taking advantage of his overconfidence. I hope I managed to portray that adequately, and didn't make her too overpowered or anything of the sort. She still has a lot to learn, as this fight has made abundantly clear.**

 **I would also like to thank my good friend CloakSky for giving me the idea to use a shapeshifter as a villain. The mere concept of shapeshifters in the Dragon Ball universe has so much potential, but it was sadly way too underutilised in the actual series.**

 **That said, I'd also like to make note of a few milestones. After the release of the previous chapter, this fic has surpassed 100 reviews and 200 favourites, and it's almost reached 300 followers. I can't express in words how grateful I am for all the support this fic has received. You guys are awesome!**

 **As always, any further feedback would be much appreciated. I'm especially curious as to what people thought of the fight. Was it too long? Too short? Too descriptive? Let me know! I'm always looking for ways to improve, especially since there are some pretty huge fights coming up later in the fic, and I want to make them as epic as possible.**

 **The next chapter will without a doubt be the end of the Hunt for the Dragon Balls arc, and honestly, while writing it has been fun… for the most part, I'm looking forward to moving on with the story. Here's hoping you guys like what's coming up.**

 **Until next time!**


	12. The Seven Dragon Balls

**Rising to the Challenge – The Legacy of Son Gohan**

 **Chapter 12 – The Seven Dragon Balls**

A golden blur streaked through the skies of Satan City, its shining form acting as a beacon of light amid the darkness of the night. Raindrops pelted down on the speeding figure, but disintegrated instantly upon contact with its mighty aura. Even the thunderbolts rumbling in the distance seemed wary of disturbing the powerful being.

Were any hapless denizens – should they still be awake – to glance up at the fast-moving object leaving a blazing trail of gold in its wake, they would think it some kind of shooting star or comet. Never would they be able to guess that the figure was in fact their beloved Great Saiyaman – known to a select few as Son Gohan.

Wreathed in the fiery golden aura of a Super Saiyan, Gohan darted through the sky, anger and concern etched across his stony face as rocketed towards the Satan Manor.

It had been quite the surprise when an irate Chi-Chi had burst into his room at two in the morning, startling him and Goten out of their peaceful slumber, and rambling about how Videl had called and was in grave danger – something about an assassin she had fought off.

That was all Gohan needed to hear to spring to his feet, don his Saiyaman outfit in lieu of taking the time to get dressed, and rush towards his friend, transforming into a Super Saiyan to hasten the process.

"Damn it, Videl, just what have you gotten yourself into this time?" he grumbled to himself, trying to suppress the worry building in the pit of his stomach.

He could feel the girl's ki, but it was very faint, almost non-existent. No other ki of her level could be felt in her vicinity, which he took as a good sign, but still a somewhat concerning one. Just what the hell had happened? And why hadn't she called him at the first sign of danger?

Gohan cursed to himself. Of course she wouldn't call him – she was Videl Satan for crying out loud! She was hot-headed, brash, stubborn, proud and confident, and had gotten used to taking care of herself. Naturally she would see his offer of help as a sign of him thinking she was weak, and would innately want to prove him otherwise.

 _'That's not the case at all, Videl,'_ Gohan thought sadly. _'Far from it. It's just… you don't know how dangerous this world is, and I don't think you're ready for it just yet.'_ He sighed and rubbed his temples wearily. _'Please… please be alright.'_

When the Satan Manor came into view, Gohan reverted to his base form and came to a halt above the mansion's gate. His eyes bulged at what he saw.

Craters of varying sizes littered the well-maintained grounds; grass that was once neatly trimmed was currently torn apart, large patches of it now covered by dirt. One of the six golden statues of Mr Satan lining the manor's pathway was knocked over and decapitated, the head nowhere to be found.

The white-bricked sides of the mansion were no longer sleek and smooth, but roughed up and littered with holes of varying sizes. A few windows were broken, and a part of the tiled red roof looked like it had been sheared off. The chimney was clearly vaporised, as it too was nowhere to be seen.

Gohan's eyes then latched onto a small figure lying motionless on the pavement, in a crater far too big for its small frame. When its features became clear, the demi-Saiyan gasped. "Oolong!?" Upon closer inspection of the anthropomorphic pig, he shook his head. _'No, not Oolong. He's too thin to be Oolong. It's just someone who looks remarkably like him.'_

Gohan's eyes scanned over the mansion, trying to catch sight of Videl. He could sense her in the area, but her ki was so tiny he couldn't pinpoint the exact location. The sheer darkness of the night wasn't helping either. "Damn it, where are you?" he cried out, more to himself than anything.

Flaring his ki, Gohan darted around the yard, searching here and there until eventually finding Videl slumped behind a tree, unconscious. The demi-Saiyan felt a pang of despair flash through his chest when he saw the state she was in.

He flung his Saiyaman helmet to the ground and knelt down to cradle Videl's battered, broken and weary body in his arms. From this distance, he could also make out the full extent of her injuries, and had to suppress the urge to shed a tear.

Dried blood was smeared across her face, while fresh blood poured like a waterfall from a gaping wound in her cheek. Her drenched white singlet, cloaked against her upper body like a second skin, was stained red and cut open at the waist, revealing a thin gash. Her left hand was also smeared in blood, a deep protrusion visible in the palm.

Resisting the rage building rapidly within him, and holding himself back from ripping the pig who he assumed to be responsible for this in half, Gohan softly ran his hand over a large circular mark on Videl's exposed left thigh. The skin was rough, bumpy and coloured oddly – the tell-tale signs of poorly-done ki cauterisation. What the hell had happened to cause such a wound? Further down the leg, her toes were purple and mangled, and her nails were broken.

Gohan's eyes flashed teal against his will, and a streak of gold ran through his hair. The ground around him rumbled dangerously as he craned his neck towards the prone figure of the pig and furrowed his brow threateningly, doing his best to reign in the small part of him that wanted to rip it to shreds.

A twitch from the girl in his arms brought Gohan back to his senses, and his eyes returned to their usual onyx. He regarded her with a sad gaze a pulled out a senzu bean from the pouch at his hip. He then crushed it between his fingers, gently pried Videl's mouth open, and placed the bean fragments on her tongue.

"Please… swallow," he urged desperately, lightly patting her cheek to provoke a response. "You're pretty much addicted to these blasted beans, so swallowing one while unconscious shouldn't be a problem, right?" he joked, trying to stay positive and keep his hopes high.

A few painful seconds passed, which Gohan took to scan over Videl's sleeping form for any signs of improvement. He noticed that even with her face caked in blood, and her raven hair dirty and matted haphazardly against her forehead instead of in its usual neat pigtails, she was still pretty. Nothing could take her beauty away from her.

Videl's body suddenly trembled, and Gohan watched with a relieved sigh as her toenails mended themselves, and the bruised purple skin around them returned to its usual pale shade. The cauterised wound on her thigh smoothed itself out, leaving no traces whatsoever of any grisly injury. The cuts on her waist, hand and cheek filled out as well, until they too bore no signs of prior harm.

Videl's eyelids then fluttered open slowly, revealing the enchanting cerulean orbs within. A light smirk spread across her lips when she saw who had healed her. "What took you so long?"

The girl was forced to let out a yelp, as Gohan's response was to envelop his arms around her petite form in a crushing hug. She sat there stunned for a few moments, before smiling and responding in kind, returning Gohan's hug. The teenagers remained in each other's embrace for what felt like hours, even though it was only about a minute.

Gohan was the first to let go, gently placing his hands on the sides of Videl's head and resting his forehead against her own. "You have no idea how scared I was," he whispered, hurt evident in his tone as he locked eyes with the girl.

Videl's gaze faltered briefly, but she matched his stare. "I'm sorry."

"Why didn't you call me?" the boy asked softly.

Videl sighed, chewing her bottom lip for a few moments as though contemplating her words. "It wasn't your fight," she said finally. "That guy invaded my house, disguised as my father, then threatened me and demanded the Dragon Ball. I wasn't going to let that stand."

Gohan pursed his lips. "I figured it was something like that." He then tilted his head. "Wait, disguised as your father? How?"

Videl's lip quirked upwards. "Said he was a shapeshifter."

"A shapeshifting pig, huh? Talk about a coincidence," Gohan mused. "Guy must've been pretty tough if there was this much collateral damage."

"Yeah, said he used to be the student of Mercenary Tao." The demi-Saiyan's eyes shot open at that revelation, and Videl averted her gaze. "He's also the same assassin who owns that hideout we busted earlier," she added timidly.

Gohan ran a hand though his spiky locks and plopped himself down beside Videl, resting his back against the tree trunk and paying no heed to the blistering rain. He exhaled deeply. "Kami, Videl, you're going to be the death of me."

The girl leaned back against the tree and gently nudged Gohan with her elbow. "Hey, it all worked out in the end though, didn't it?" she asked, trying to lighten the mood. "I kicked his ass, and you healed me back to full health."

"But it almost didn't work out!" Gohan groaned exasperatedly. "Even if you won in the end, what if you were so badly injured after the fight you couldn't even reach your phone to call me? You would've bled out during the night, and I would've found your corpse here in the morning! I…" he sighed, grabbing a handful of his spiky locks in frustration, "I don't know what I'd do in that case, or how I'd feel, knowing I was responsible for your death!"

"Hey, now wait just a minute," Videl said sharply. "Responsible for my death? Who do you think you are; my father? Do you think I'm a little girl who can't take care of herself?"

"You know that's not what I meant," Gohan retorted hotly. "I'm the one who dragged you into the Dragon Ball hunt, I'm the one who let you keep a hold of the Dragon Ball despite knowing you might be a target, and I'm the one who's training you. So in this case, yes, I would be responsible for your death!"

"Oh, so you think I'm weak then?" Videl spat. "I've been taking care of myself just fine before you ever showed up in my life!"

Gohan took a deep breath and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I don't think you're weak, Videl," he admitted wearily, his tone now a lot calmer. "It's just that you've only recently started training in ki manipulation, and I was hoping you're be more experienced before you took on another ki user in a life-or-death situation."

Videl leaned back against the tree and huffed indignantly. "I guess I can see where you're coming from."

Despite himself, Gohan couldn't help but let out a chuckle at that. "You're so damn prideful."

"A blessing and a curse," Videl acknowledged simply, having also calmed down. She tilted her head to the side and rested it against the boy's shoulder.

"And stubborn too," he added.

"So I've been told," she remarked smugly.

"Just what am I going to do with you?" Gohan asked amusedly, the prior tension in the atmosphere having mostly evaporated.

"Step up my training," Videl stated confidently. "Particularly aerial combat. If I was as good in the air as I was on the ground, the fight would've been over a lot quicker."

Gohan scratched his cheek ponderingly. "Aerial combat training, eh? That can be arranged," he said, an uncharacteristic hint of mischief in his voice. "I can already tell you're going to love it."

"I'm not sure whether you're being serious or sarcastic, but I'm too tired to think about it now," Videl commented.

Gohan nodded his agreement. "Yeah, you definitely need to get some sleep." He shot to his feet and kindly offered his hand to help Videl up, which she graciously accepted. Once she got to her feet, the demi-Saiyan's eyes widened and he blushed vividly.

Videl noticed this reaction and raised a brow. "What?"

Gohan's eyes shifted from side to side before focusing on something in the distance. "Ahh, you might want to get out of the rain," he answered meekly, pointing a trembling finger in the direction of her very thin and very wet white singlet.

Videl shrieked and crossed her arm over her chest. "Eyes up, pervert!" she stammered in a mix of embarrassment and anger, a crimson tint tainting her cheeks.

Gohan averted his gaze and stared at the grass, not wanting to meet the girl's eyes. "I'm not looking! I wasn't looking! Honest! I only saw when you stood up and was letting you know…" he murmured.

"Oh. Yeah, that makes sense," Videl said in an equally quiet tone. "Th-thanks for letting me know"

"No problem," Gohan mumbled.

A few moments of uncomfortable silence passed between the two teenagers, neither sure of what to say, before the male of the pair decided to break it. He glanced over Videl's shoulder at the shapeshifter lying in the crater, still completely motionless. "What do you want to do about him?" he asked.

Videl waved her hand dismissively. "Part of me wants to leave that chump there to rot, but that would just stink up the place."

Gohan frowned. "He's not dead, is he?"

"He shouldn't be," Videl replied. "I did beat him up pretty badly, but he's only suffered blunt trauma, the resilient bastard. I may be an ass kicking, crime fighting badass, but I've never killed anyone. Don't plan on starting anytime soon either."

Gohan breathed out a sigh of relief. "Good to know."

"Anyway, would you mind dropping him off at the police station?" Videl enquired with a yawn. "I'm beat. Need to shower and sleep. Just tell them we stopped an extremely dangerous assassin named Kage, and that he should be locked up in a maximum-security prison… when he wakes up, that is."

"Of course, no worries," Gohan replied with a smile.

"Oh, and, ahh…" Videl stumbled with her words, finding it hard to speak. "Would you mind spending the night here?" she asked quietly.

"W-what?"

"Yeah… my dad's away until tomorrow night, and I really don't want to be alone right now…." She lightly kicked the grass with her foot, not wanting to meet Gohan's gaze.

Gohan's heart started racing, and his face flushed red. "Are you sure that's ok?" He scratched the back of his head. "I mean, I've never slept with a girl before…"

"Wait, what!?" Videl's eyes bulged and her face reddened to the shade of a strawberry. "I didn't mean it like that, you doofus! What kind of girl do you think I am? I meant you can stay in a guest room! In case you haven't noticed, my house is pretty damn big!"

Gohan facepalmed in an attempt to both hide his blush and punish himself for his stupidity. "Ahh, right. Of course you did. Sorry, I don't know why I thought that."

"Kami, Gohan, I'm really starting to wonder about you," Videl muttered, rubbing her temples tiredly. "First you're checking me out while I'm wearing a wet shirt, and then you're asking to sleep with me? When did you become such a pervert?"

"What? No, I'm not a pervert!" Gohan stammered, holding his hands up defensively. "I didn't know you mean sleep in different rooms! It's late, and I'm tired, and my head's all jumbled, and-"

"Gohan, calm down. It's ok," Videl chuckled. "I was only teasing. I know you're not a pervert."

The flustered boy stopped his rambling and let out a deep breath. "Good to know. Now that that's cleared up, I'd be happy to spend the night."

Videl smiled. "Glad to hear it. Now go take that scumbag off to the cops," she said, pointing to Kage. When you come back, I'll show you your room."

"On it," Gohan stated attentively, putting on his Saiyaman helmet. "I'll see you soon."

With that the caped superhero flew over to Kage, grabbed the assassin by the scruff of the neck, and shot off towards the Satan City Police Department.

Along the way, he started smacking his forehead with his palm. "Stupid, stupid, stupid! Why'd I have to go and say that? Now she probably thinks I'm a weirdo!" A faint oink from the unconscious Kage caused Gohan to glare at the pig. "No one asked your opinion."

* * *

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"How about now?"

"No."

"… now?"

"Damn it, Shu, will you pipe up? You're giving me a headache!"

"I'm sorry, Emperor Pilaf, I really am, but I don't want to be here any longer! I'm scared!" the anthropomorphic dog named Shu cried.

Pilaf – as short, blue and impish as ever – sighed in frustration. "Quit your crying, Shu! You know as well as I do that getting the Dragon Balls is our top priority, especially now that that damned Kage went off the grid."

"Oh, we know what we signed up for," an irate Mai grumbled from beside Pilaf and Shu as she straightened out the edges of her green army tunic. "We just didn't think it'd involve crawling through this stinking forest, sneaking past dinosaurs, pterodactyls and tigers that want to eat us!"

"We have no choice!" Pilaf shrieked. "I don't know about you two, but I don't want to stay in this childlike body! I'm a grown man, damn it!"

Mai and Shu shared a glance and snickered.

"What was that?" Pilaf asked with narrowed eyes.

"Nothing, sir," the two minions replied, a bit too stiffly for his liking.

The imp glared at the two for a few more moments before rubbing his temples exasperatedly. "You have a point though," he admitted, his eyes shifting from side to side warily, anticipating an ambush of some sort. "What kind of monsters would live in such a dangerous place out in the middle of nowhere?"

"The wrong kind of monsters," Mai answered cautiously. "On the bright side, it looks like we're safe from the dinosaurs here. I haven't seen any in a while."

"Finally, something's going our way," Pilaf remarked, his tone now a tad gleeful. "I can just feel it, guys, those Dragon Balls are ours!"

With that declaration, the Pilaf Gang continued their trek through the lush woodland of Mount Paozu. The three children were sweating profusely, the shade of the leaves not being adequate protection from the harsh rays of sunlight above. They were tired, hungry and grumpy – but they persevered on their journey, driven by the sole goal of finding the Dragon Balls.

After several minutes of walking, Pilaf raised a hand and the trio came to a halt.

"Is something wrong, my Lord?" Shu enquired, his voice trembling.

"I don't know… something feels off," Pilaf replied, his beady eyes scanning their surroundings. "It's quiet. Too quiet. I can't even hear any birds or crickets."

"Agreed. It's almost like something spooked the local wildlife," Mai commented.

Shu started whimpering, but Pilaf smacked him on the head to shut him up. He looked down at the Dragon Radar in his hands. "The Dragon Ball should be just up ahead. Mai, check that way!" he ordered, pointing in the direction of the blinking dot.

The girl nodded and looked through the pair of binoculars she had hanging around her neck. A few anxious seconds passed, before she finally spoke up. "Some lavender-haired kid wearing a dark green martial arts outfit just came into view."

Pilaf chuckled maliciously and pulled a switchblade from his pocket. "Just some bratty kid? Perfect! We'll scare him silly and take his Dragon Ball! This should-"

Mai held up a hand to silence her boss. "Wait! Someone else is following the kid! He looks like…" Her eyes shot open and she gasped in shock, dropping the binoculars. "N-n-no! It can't be him! Anyone but him!"

"Mai, get a hold of yourself!" Pilaf cried. "Just who the hell are you talking about?"

When he got no response, the imp cursed under his breath and ripped the binoculars from the string around Mai's neck before peering through them. He first saw the lavender-haired kid, who really did look like a brat. His assessment was spot on.

His eyes then trailed to the second kid, the one that caused Mai to freak out. This kid had spiky black hair, wore an orange martial arts gi, and had a stupid look on his face as his wide, curious eyes scanned his surroundings.

A niggling sensation pricked the back of Pilaf's mind as the picture slowly started to become clearer. Long-repressed nightmares about giant were-monkeys and pointy-eared demon tyrants forced themselves to the forefront of his thoughts, until he too dropped the binoculars and staggered backwards. "S-S-Son Goku!"

Shu almost squealed but had enough sense to cover his mouth before he could reveal their location.

Pilaf slumped to the ground and despairingly covered his head with his hands. "This makes no sense!" he mumbled. "How the hell is Son Goku here? And why is he a child? Did he make a wish to the dragon, too?"

"I don't know, but I think we should abort the mission!" Mai whined. "Son Goku is bad news, and I don't want anything else to do with him and his friends!"

Pilaf grit his teeth as tears threatened to spill. Glorious thoughts of a full-grown version of himself standing on the balcony of a grandiose castle as his army of minions bowed before him vanished like a wisp of smoke, only to be replaced by the murderous, blood-red eyes of a monolithic monster.

"You're right," he finally stammered, wiping the moisture from his eyes. "This mission has become far too dangerous." Regaining some composure, Pilaf picked up the binoculars and looked through them again. When he was greeted with the sight of nothing but greenery, he threw them to the ground in a mix of rage and fear. "He's gone! There's no one there anymore!"

"W-w-w-what does this mean?" a distraught Shu snivelled.

"Hiya!"

The Pilaf Gang shrieked as something black and spiky popped out from the foliage overhead. Upon closer inspection, it was the head of the one they had identified as Son Goku.

"Hey Trunks, it's just a bunch of weirdoes!" the dark-haired child cried out.

Moments later, his lavender-haired friend stepped out from behind the trees, his arms crossed and a scowl plastered across his features. "Well that's boring."

Meanwhile, Pilaf, Mai and Shu glanced from one boy to the other, trying to make sense of the situation and figure a way out of their predicament.

Trunks suddenly barked out a laugh. "Man, we must've really spooked them. They look like they're about to pee themselves!"

"You shut your mouth, you rude little boy! We do not!" Mai shot back, having summoned a brief bout of courage.

"Little boy? You're not so big yourself," Trunks retorted haughtily. He then paused and gave the girl a look-over with a raised eyebrow. "You are kinda cute though. Wanna be my girlfriend?"

Mai blushed and buried her head in her hands. "Shut up! I'm far too classy, sophisticated and mature for a brutish thug like you!"

Trunks shrugged. "Your loss."

"Enough with these games!" Pilaf shouted, his irritation over the situation overriding his anxiety. He pointed at the spiky-haired child hiding among the foliage. "You, boy! Is your name Son Goku?"

"No, Son Goku is my dad," the boy chirped. "I'm Son Goten!"

Pilaf's eyes bugged out of his head for a moment as his mind went into overdrive. "That fiend actually spawned a child? What woman would be mad enough to breed with that monster? Madness! Utter madness!"

"Do you know my dad?" Goten asked, oblivious to the insults hurled towards his parents.

"Why yes, of course we do!" Pilaf suddenly responded, his silver tongue working to weave a way out of this mess. "I mean, we don't know him personally, but we're big fans of Goku, and what he's accomplished as a martial artist!" he added with a fake chuckle, his eye twitching at the blatant lie.

Goten giggled. "Yeah, my dad's pretty great like that. So anyway, why are you guys here?"

"Ahh, we're here for a reason, you see," Pilaf stuttered. "We're actually searching for the Dragon Balls, and our radar showed that there was one in this location."

Goten's eyes widened. "Oh, that's neat. What do you want to wish for?"

"You see, my friend Shu here is terribly ill," Pilaf said sadly, pointing at the anthropomorphic dog. "So we want to make a wish to the dragon to help him get better."

"Hmm, he does look a bit sick," Goten remarked, glancing over at Shu. The canine member of the Pilaf Gang was startlingly pale, and sweat was dripping off him like a waterfall.

Goten then somersaulted gracefully to the ground, right in front of Pilaf, and pulled a spherical orange object from his gi top. The imp gasped. "The Four-Star Dragon Ball!"

"Yep," Goten exclaimed. "It's been in my family for a long time, ever since my great-grandpa first gave it to my dad."

Pilaf could spot Shu and Mai in the periphery of his vision, staring transfixed at the mystical orb. He licked his lips gleefully. The kid in front of him was so gullible. Maybe he might actually be able to pull this off…

With that in mind, Pilaf took off his beanie and bowed his head before Goten. "In that case, I'm terribly sorry to ask this of you, but would I be able to borrow your Dragon Ball?" he pleaded, drooping his lips in an attempt to appear sympathetic. "Once my friend gets better, the Dragon Ball can be yours again! In fact, if you want, we'll even help you look for it!"

Goten scrunched up his face and tilted his head to the side. "I do want your friend to get better… but I don't know. My big brother told me some really bad people are after the Dragon Balls. Just last night his girlfriend beat up some mean old assassin person who was looking for them!"

Despite his composed facade, Pilaf couldn't help but clench his teeth at that revelation. _'So Kage failed me? Just great! And to think that useless bastard had the nerve to ask for half of the money upfront!'_ He then took a deep breath and gave Goten his most sincere smile. "Well if the assassin is taken care of, that should mean there's nothing to worry about, right? I'm sure your brother would have no issues whatsoever with you helping out a fellow in need?"

Goten stroked his chin ponderingly. "You have a point. My big brother is a superhero after all, and he helps people all the time!" he admitted with a smile. "But still… I'm gonna have to ask him-"

"I wouldn't trust a word these guys say, Goten," Trunks chimed in. Pilaf gulped audibly and turned to look at the lavender-haired boy, who was leaning against a tree with his arms crossed. "They seem really shady, the blue one especially. And they smell bad, too."

"Preposterous! I'll have you know I shower twice a day!" Mai shouted hotly, a vein throbbing in her forehead.

Her boss, meanwhile, was sweating bullets. "I-I-I have no idea what you're talking about," he chuckled uneasily. "I can assure you we have no nefarious intentions whatsoever!"

Trunks stared at him briefly, before mustering a smirk. "Then why are you so nervous? And why did you get so angry when you heard about the assassin failing?"

"Ooh, nice detective work, Trunks!" Goten praised, which made his friend's smirk deepen.

With his hastily thought-out plan falling to pieces by the second, Pilaf put his hands up in a placating motion. "W-well, you s-s-see, the thing is-"

"Enough with these games!"

Everyone in the clearing was suddenly taken aback when Mai grabbed Trunks around the neck and pressed a pistol against his head, aiming directly at his temple.

"You're right to not trust us, but it's not like you can do anything about!" she seethed sadistically at Goten, a sickening smile marring her youthful features. "If you don't give us the Dragon Ball, I'm going to blow your friend's brains out!"

Silence reined throughout the area for a moment, with everyone present trying to process what just happened. Pilaf was stunned at Mai's brashness, but inwardly applauded her quick thinking. Were he actually paying his minions anything, such intuition would be well worth a raise.

However, if Mai was expecting any sort of reaction, it certainly wasn't Goten giving her an inquisitive look. "So you really are bad guys then," he stated nonchalantly.

The girl was shocked even further when Trunks turned his head slightly and sniffed her hair. "You were right… you do smell nice. Also, your chest is touching me."

Mai squealed and her face reddened drastically, but she didn't let go of her hostage. "Shut it, you little pervert! I won't fall for your tricks!"

"I was being honest," Trunks grumbled. "But if that's how you want to be, fine. Pull the trigger. I bet you're too scared to do it."

"Sh-shut up! I'll do. I'm dead serious!" Mai stammered.

Trunks turned stony-faced. "Now that you've drawn your weapon, are you willing to use it? Weapons aren't for threats, they're for actions. Are you willing to risk your life?"

"That line sounded so cool!" Goten exclaimed cheerfully.

Trunks' lip quirked upwards. "Thanks! I read it in a manga!"

While this was going on, Mai's face had turned an even more dangerous shade of scarlet – whether from embarrassment or rage, Pilaf didn't know, but it frightened the crap out of him. "Fine! Have it your way!" she screamed, having finally snapped.

Her explosion was compounded by a loud bang that forced Pilaf to blink. Astonished at Mai's ruthlessness, the stunned imp looked at the ground, expecting to see the macabre sight of Trunks lying in a pool of blood.

However, much to his surprise, the grass was free of any corpses. A quick look at a wide-eyed Mai showed that she too had no idea what happened.

"Oh wow, she actually did it. I didn't think she had the guts."

The Pilaf Gang swivelled their heads towards Goten's direction, and were flabbergasted to find Trunks standing casually beside his friend, looking like he didn't have a care in the world.

"H-h-h-how are you over there?" Mai sputtered. "Yo-you were here, and I sh-sh-shot you at point-blank range! You should be dead!"

Trunks scoffed in response. "Please, if you wanted to stand a chance against me, you should've brought an army." He scratched his chin bemusedly. "Then again, not even an army is a match for a Saiyan."

By now Pilaf was utterly terrified. _'Crap! These guys are just as messed up as Son Goku!'_ he mused mentally, staggering backwards until he stood beside his two minions, who were equally petrified. "Mai, Shu… it's time for Plan B!"

"Lord Pilaf, are you sure?" Shu asked, desperation evident in his tone. "We haven't finished proper testing! If something goes wrong, the results could be catas-"

"Just do as I say, you imbecile!" Pilaf screeched. "We have no choice!"

The frightened canine gulped in response, but nodded his head nonetheless, and with that the tree members of the Pilaf Gang hurled three capsules at the ground.

When the smoke cleared, Goten and Trunks gasped. Standing before them was a mechanical monstrosity almost as tall as a tree. The robotic being was split into three separate parts, each of which was piloted by one of the Pilaf trio.

A circular blue pod stood at the top of the fused machine, acting as its head, and was steered by none other than Pilaf himself. Directly below the pod was a large, pink, square-shaped slab of metal controlled by Mai, which served as the behemoth's torso. Two round protrusions were situated on opposite ends of Mai's cockpit, and a pair of thin, mechanical arms were attached to the torso's sides, the hands of which consisted of two pincer-like claws instead of fingers. Completing the fusion was a dark green pod driven by Shu that was slightly larger than Pilaf's, and was located beneath Mai. Connected to this pod were two thick legs which resembled a pair of boots, and resting on its underside was a hollow cylinder.

Starry-eyed and unable to form coherent sentences, Goten and Trunks stared at the machine in wonderment. "Soooo cool!" they mused simultaneously.

From inside his pod atop the behemoth, Pilaf cackled madly at the pair of children. "Behold, my young friends, the Pilaf Machine Mk III, named after yours truly!" he boomed through an inbuilt set of speakers. "This technologically advanced fusion of robotic ingenuity has been decades in the making! I had originally planned to use it to aid my conquest of this planet, but you vermin have forced my hand! Prepare to be eradicated, and have your Dragon Ball surrendered to the great Emperor Pilaf!"

When Pilaf didn't receive any response, he looked closer at Goten and Trunks and was met with two vacant, glassy expressions; the children still awestruck by the machine. The imp grit his teeth, furious at his grandiose monologue being ignored. "Fine! Be that way! Mai, let's start things off with a bang!"

A second after Pilaf had given his order, the two round protrusions on the machine's torso flipped open like a cap, and before Goten and Trunks could comprehend what was happening, a pair of rockets came shooting towards them at blinding speed.

Their impact created a deafening explosion that set several trees ablaze, and spawned an ugly cloud of thick, black smoke. The Pilaf Machine then pulled its right hand back and thrust it forward with such force that the wind generated was strong enough to dissipate the smoke. When it cleared to reveal a small crater with burnt grass, Pilaf guffawed maniacally. "Ha! Got 'em! That vaporised the little bastards! I'll teach them to get in the way of my plans for world dom-"

The self-proclaimed emperor was unable to finish his sentence as something small, fast and green slide tackled the Pilaf Machine's legs from behind and sent it crashing to the ground. Immediately afterwards, something small, orange and equally fast jumped off a tree and slammed into the machine's torso with a booming clang that made Pilaf's ears ring.

Despite his brief bout of dizziness, the imp could make out the grinning face of Goten, who had driven his elbow into the pink metal right beside Mai's cockpit with such momentum that it left a gaping hole in the material.

Before the spiky-haired boy could get back to his feet, the Pilaf Machine glowed a dazzling white, and a sizzling sound permeated the air. Goten yelped and backflipped of the robot, landing on his feet. He rubbed his elbow gingerly, where a small scorch mark was visible. "Ow!"

"How do you like my beautiful machine's electric barrier?" Pilaf cackled as the mechanical behemoth slowly rose to its feet. "I made sure it could generate enough voltage to fry an entire herd of rhinoceroses… instantly!"

Unfortunately for the imp, a sudden flying kick to the back of his pod from Trunks sent the Pilaf Machine sprawling face-first into the charred dirt. "You talk too much," the lavender-haired child chided. "Goten, come help me out! We're gonna send these losers flying!"

"On it!"

Before the Pilaf Gang could make any sense of the situation, they felt themselves get lifted off the ground – Goten and Trunks having each grabbed one of the machine's legs – and spun around like a top so fast they created a miniature whirlwind.

The three hapless children inside the Pilaf Machine screamed up a storm as their heads started spinning. The immense dizziness they were feeling was only compounded when Goten and Trunks let go of the robot's legs, sending the entire fused machine hurtling into the distance, smashing through trees with the ease of a cannonball until it landed on the hard ground with a devastating thud.

Dazed, confused and furious, the Pilaf Gang groaned as their machine stumbled to its feet. Its collision course through the forest had only left a few scratches and dents here and there – the biggest mark on the machine remained the hole left by Goten's elbow.

Pilaf could spot the two brats responsible for his anguish standing casually about 20 metres away, at the start of the road of toppled trees, and the sight only served to aggravate him even further. "Mai, Shu! It's time to turn up the heat!"

With that the Pilaf Machine jumped into the air just as violent blue flames erupted from its feet, and sped forward like a rocket ship towards its targets. Just before it was about to reach Goten and Trunks, a thin white tail with a green opening at the tip extended from behind Shu's pod and pointed at the pair.

"Burn!" Pilaf cried as a gout of vibrant orange flames spewed forth from the tail's tip, bathing the spot where the children stood in a sea of fire, and heating up the area to such a degree that it made the air shimmer. A deadly plume of smoke spiralled into the air.

High above the smoke, out of view of their aggressors, Goten and Trunks surveyed the situation below. The latter of the two whistled. "Damn, these guys aren't playing around."

"Who cares about that?" Goten cried, significantly more distressed than his friend. "The forest will burn down unless we do something!"

"Piece of cake," Trunks complied.

The two superpowered children locked on to the ki signatures of Pilaf Gang, whose machine wasn't visible through the smoke and spreading flames. Then, with combined yells, they let loose a destructive Kiai from their palms towards their target.

The crushing wave of invisible ki punched a hole through the pillar of smoke and struck the ground below with the force of a tsunami. The smog polluting the atmosphere cleared almost instantly, while the accompanying flames quelled in a heartbeat.

With their view now clear, Goten and Trunks could make out a gigantic crater of charred grass and dirt, smack dab in the centre of which lay the Pilaf Machine. Visible cracks ran down the robot's once-shiny surface, but it appeared to be only superficial damage at best.

"That machine of theirs is pretty tough," Trunks remarked. "I wonder if I can get my mum to make one for me."

Before Goten could add his thoughts, the cylinder directly beneath Shu's pod lit up, and a second later it spewed forth a white rocket with a sharklike grin at the tip that shot towards the children.

"Whoa… a crotch rocket!" Goten gaped, his earlier anger at the forest fire completely forgotten. "I wish I could do that."

"Yeah, no kidding," Trunks agreed, equally as flabbergasted.

Despite being stunned by the unconventional attack, the boys were composed enough to simply float out of the missile's way, and paid it no heed as it exploded harmlessly in the sky above them. However, they were giving no time to rest, as without warning the Pilaf Machine ignited the rocket boosters under its feet and sped towards them like a torpedo.

Goten and Trunks took up defensive stances, primed to knock the robot back down to the ground, but just before it made contact the two openings on Mai's pod lit up in an instant, and blasted the children with a debilitating flash of light, blinding them.

"Oh no, it can use Taiyoken!" Goten shrieked, clutching at his eyes.

"That's no Taiyoken, it's a nipple light flashbang!" Trunks cried back.

Pilaf's maniacal laughter could be heard over their screams, its volume magnified significantly by his machine's internal speakers. "How do you like that, you damn vermin? Now to swat you out of the sky like the pests you are!"

Unseen by the children, two unmarked compartments opened up at the top of Mai's pod – the fused machine's shoulders – and out rose two sleek, black chain gun turrets. "Perish!" Pilaf shouted, his threat accompanied by a deafening cacophony of machine gun fire that lasted for about a minute.

When the sound of gunfire died down, and the rattling of empty barrels permeated the air, the three members of the Pilaf Gang squealed in terror. Instead of seeing two small, dead bodies littered with bullet holes like they expected, they were instead treated to the horrifying sight of Goten and Trunks floating unharmed in front of them, both cloaked in a tangible barrier of pulsating white flames, matching expressions of calmness on their faces

"H-h-h-how are you still alive?" Mai stuttered.

"Your pitiful human weapons are no match for a Saiyan," Trunks stated with a cocky smirk. Then, without so much as a blink, he fired two quick energy blasts that swiftly disintegrated the Pilaf Machine's pair of chain guns.

Before the startled crooks could respond, Goten disappeared from view and materialised directly above them, before slamming his foot down upon their fused robot's head like a hammer, sending it shooting towards the ground a like meteorite. However, the Pilaf Machine was sturdy enough to withstand the blow and break its fall, landing on its feet with a heavy thud, its trunk-like legs trembling from the force of the impact.

Once they'd gathered their bearings, Pilaf, Mai and Shu scanned the skies but saw no trace of their pintsized opponents. "Damn it, where the hell are you cowards!?" the boss of the trio shouted, only to receive no response. "Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it! I'll teach you to make a fool out of me!"

With a cry that was equal parts distressed and equal parts livid, Pilaf directed his machine to uproot one of the many trees in the area like it was a toothpick, and started whacking the trees around him in a blind fury, knocking them down as if they were dominoes. So great was the imp's rage, that each swing of his gargantuan bat was accompanied by a different curse word.

After hacking down what amounted to enough firewood to almost last a winter, a familiar blur of dark green and lavender hopped down from one of the trees far behind the Pilaf Machine's rampage. "Over here!"

The battered robotic fusion whipped its head to the source of the noise. "You!" cried Pilaf, the sheer vitriol in his tone magnified tenfold by his machine's speakers. "Die!" With a thunderous yell, the Pilaf Machine flipped around the tree it was holding, its leaves and branches sheared off to the point that the trunk resembled a sharpened pencil, and hurled it like a javelin towards the smirking Trunks.

Unfazed, the boy held out his hands and grabbed the sharpened tip of the wooden missile just before it impaled him. He then hoisted the log above his head with one hand – making for a humorous picture considering how much larger than him it was – and sent it flying back towards its sender.

The weaponised tree trunk speared the hole Goten's elbow drop created on the Pilaf Machine's midsection with devastating momentum, making it wider and sending the giant robot hurtling into the distance where it knocked down several more trees in the process.

When the crashing stopped, Trunks whistled and admired the carnage before him, pleased with his efforts. However, he knew his last attack wasn't enough to put the Pilaf Machine down for good. That thing could take a battering… from conventional weapons at least

Just as he predicted, a sudden rumbling was heard, and a bunch of toppled trees were flung into the air. This was followed by the hulking figure of the Pilaf Machine slowly staggering to its feet, after which it strode towards the boy with its heavy, clunking steps. The tree trunk was still imbedded in its torso.

Trunks chuckled as the fused robot came to a half before him, and crossed his arms cockily. "Come on then, let's see your next move," he taunted.

In response, the Pilaf Machine grabbed a hold of the makeshift spear piercing its body, and with some exertion ripped it out. It then snapped the tree trunk in half like a twig and flung it to the side. "You've pissed me off for the last time, brat," Pilaf seethed from inside his pod. "Mai, Shu, it's time to activate Plan P!"

The two minions gasped, their surprise audible through the machine's speakers. "Lord Pilaf, are you sure?" Shu asked, whimpering. "We were planning to use… that… to hold a country hostage. Are you sure you want to use it on two little boys?"

"Don't question my judgement, you fool, just do as I say!" Pilaf spat. "I'm the boss here, which means you listen to me!"

Mai sighed. "As you wish, Lord Pilaf."

An intrigued Trunks raised an eyebrow, having followed the conversation intently. "So you have a trump card, eh? Sounds interesting!"

Pilaf laughed in response. "You'll regret saying that once you see what it does!" He lifted his index finger and twirled it around giddily. "Like Shu said, I had planned on using this to hold a country- no, the world hostage! But you've forced my hand! It may set me back several years, and the effect it might have on this environment would be catastrophic, but it'll all be worth it!"

Trunks smirked and held out his hands invitingly. "Let's see it then."

"Fine! Perish under the might of Plan P!"

With that the maniacal imp slammed his finger down on a giant red button in front of him, and Shu and Mai did the same. For a few seconds, there was silence, and then the Pilaf Machine started shaking. Its three separate parts reddened as though heating up and let off steam, before cooling back down and returning to their original colours. The ground trembled as tiny particles of dust floated just above it, and a clock started ticking from somewhere inside the robot. The ticking gradually increased in both volume and speed, to the point that it made Trunks' ears ring, before finally coming to a stop. Time seemed to freeze for a moment, and then the Pilaf Machine let out a burp.

A sweatdrop rolled down Trunks' temple, and the dumbfounded boy resisted the urge to facepalm. "That's it? Your grand, master plan was to belch at me? You have no idea how disappointed I am right now."

Pilaf, who looked visibly distraught, was shaking his head in disbelief. "No! No, no, no, no! This can't be happening! Mai, why did it do that? It's not supposed to do that!"

"I-I don't know!" Mai replied, equally as stunned as her boss. "This wasn't in the programming!"

Shu gulped audibly. "Could it be that we've sustained too much damage for Plan P to work?"

As the reality sunk in, Pilaf's face turned ashen. "My… my Plan P… failed… no more…" he whispered. His face then took on the crimson shade of a tomato, and he glared at Trunks through the glass of his pod. "You did this!" he accused, his rapidly building anger accentuated by the Pilaf Machine pointing its long, metallic hand towards the boy. "You and that idiot friend of yours ruined everything for me! You'll pay for this, you evil little monsters! I'll make sure you pay, if it's the las-"

The enraged imp was unable to finish his sentence as another toppled tree smashed into the back of his pod. Wood splintered as metal cracked, and the oval-shaped cockpit of the fused robot was separated from its body and sent crashing into the ground, where it threw up a cloud of dirt and grass.

Goten suddenly flew into view and landed beside Trunks, a giddy grin on his face. "Did you see my throw, Trunks? I got him good!"

The lavender-haired boy laughed. "You sure did, Goten."

"Lord Pilaf!" Mai and Shu cried in unison. When the dust in front of them cleared, they were treated to the sight of their boss' pod lying face-first in a small crater, a gaping hole in its rear courtesy of Goten's thrown tree.

Pilaf then stuck his head out of the hole, visibly dazed and with a small amount of soot blackening his face. He shook his head a few times before scanning his surroundings. Once he was able to comprehend what had happened, he squealed. "My pod! My beautiful pod! It's all ruined!" He cast a venomous glare towards Goten and Trunks. "Do you have any idea how much it cost to make that thing to my exact specifications!?"

"Lord Pilaf, you're ok!" Shu exclaimed, a hint of happiness seeping into his overly terrified tone.

"Of course I am!" Pilaf shouted back. "It'll take more than that to defeat the future ruler of the world! Now, destroy those kids!"

"On it!" Mai stated.

The gimped Pilaf Machine went to take a step forward, but just before it could Goten and Trunks zipped towards it and each grabbed a hold of one leg. With practiced ease, the two boys pulled back and wrenched the metallic legs from their sockets. With its last supports gone, the large robot toppled forward unhindered, set to squash the hapless imp below it.

Pilaf screeched, his eyes bulging out of his sockets, and frantically scrambled out of his destroyed pod like a ferret. Thanks to his small and nimble frame, he was able to dive out of the way just as the falling robot crushed the remains of his pod like a mallet squishing a grape. Afterwards, he lay on the ground on his back, panting exhaustedly.

Mai and Shu crawled out from the wreckage and moved towards their boss. The trio huddled together, terrified and trembling, as Goten and Trunks stood menacingly over them.

"Wh-what are you going to do to us?" Mai whimpered.

Trunks stroked his chin ponderingly. "I don't know. You guys did try and kill us. What do you think we should do with them, Goten?" he asked his friend.

The spiky-haired boy scrunched his face, deep in thought until an idea came to him. "Oh! I know! We can let them go!" The Pilaf trio's eyes lit up with small rays of hope. "But only if they tell us where the Dragon Balls are!" Goten added. "My brother was out looking for them, but a few weren't showing up on the radar. So if these guys were looking for them too, that might mean they know where they are."

Pilaf, Mai and Shu exchanged subtle glances, small beads of sweat visible on their foreheads. "Y-y-you're m-mistaken!" the boss of the gang stammered. "We don't know where the hidden Dra-Dragon Balls are!"

Trunks narrowed his eyes at the snivelling imp. "You're lying."

Pilaf gulped. "Ok, you got me! But… can we please give you something else? Like money! Or toys! Or maybe some weapons of mass destruction!" He adjusted the scruff of his yellow shirt. "We kinda really need the Dragon Balls…"

Trunks snorted. "My family's rich, I have all the toys I could ever want, and I am a weapon of mass destruction," he uttered threateningly. "So either you give us what we want, or else…" he finished, flaring his ki a bit and giving himself an ominous aura.

The petrified Pilaf Gang scooted backwards, shaken by this latest threat. The boss of the bunch grit his teeth and hesitantly held a hand out to Shu. The andromorphic dog gulped and reached deep into his purple kimono, pulling out what looked like a blue lunchbox with a red star on it. Pilaf grabbed the container, took a deep breath, and opened it.

Goten and Trunks peered over to look at its contents, and were greeted with the sight of three familiar orange balls. The boys grinned and high-fived, before reaching into the box greedily and withdrawing their prizes.

"The one-star ball, two-star ball and six-star ball are all here! This means we have them all! I gotta let my brother know!" Goten exclaimed excitedly.

Pilaf closed his eyes, seemingly trying to suppress some tears, and slammed the blue box shut before handing it back to Shu. "There, you have what you want. Can we leave now?" he asked curtly, trying to project a neutral tone.

"Oh, yeah, you guys can go," Trunks answered nonchalantly, rolling one of the Dragon Balls in his hands.

The Pilaf trio let out simultaneous sighs of relief and bolted from the area as though their behinds were on fire.

"Hey Mai, call me sometime, ok?" Trunks called after the retreating children.

"Screw you!" was the reply he got, Mai punctuating her insult by flipping him the bird before darting out of sight past the trees.

Trunks wasn't bothered by this in the slightest, and clasped his hands behind the back of his head, grinning confidently. "She'll call me."

"How do you know?" Goten enquired, puzzled by the pair's interactions. He was by no means an expert on human relationships, but Trunks and Mai didn't seem to get along too well.

"I slipped my number into her pocket when she had me by the neck," the lavender-haired boy explained.

"But… she tried to kill you," Goten said, raising an eyebrow.

Trunks shrugged. "I like 'em feisty."

Goten pouted. "You're weird. Girls are weird too. I don't think I'm ever gonna get a girlfriend." He then scratched the back of his head, a thoughtful expression forming on his face. "Well, except maybe Marron. I like Marron."

Trunks let out an impressed whistle. "You're a brave one. I don't know why, but Marron's mum creeps me out..."

* * *

A grumbling Videl tapped her foot impatiently against the pavement, arms crossed as she leaned back against a light post. She glanced up at the overcast grey sky, hoping to spot a sign of her partner in crime fighting. _'Damn it, Gohan, you better get your ass here quick. I want to find out who this bastard is.'_

She shivered slightly as a swift breeze blew over her and sighed. Waiting sucked.

Gohan had called her not too long ago to inform her than Goten and his best friend had recovered the last three Dragon Balls they needed. Videl was hesitant to even ask how two kids managed to pull something like that off, lest her mind be blown by yet another staggering feat of absurdity from someone in the Son family.

However, Gohan had also let her know that he knew a guy who might know the identity of their shapeshifting assassin. When she found that out, Videl had asked her friend to bring this person to the Satan City hospital, where Kage was being held under strict police surveillance while he recovered from the beating she gave him. That gave her no small amount of pleasure.

Eventually, she spotted a speck of green visible among the clouds, that rapidly increased in size. She let out a sigh. "Finally."

When Gohan came into view, clad in all his costumed glory, Videl noticed a figure dangling below him, being held by the shoulders. She squinted, trying to make out who this person was, but as soon as she saw the pink skin, snout and large, droopy ears, she recoiled in shock. "Kage!?"

"No, just Oolong," Gohan said, finally appearing before her and landing on the ground. "Don't worry, he's a friend. He went adventuring with my dad when they were kids."

Videl took a deep breath to compose herself and scanned over this Oolong person, who she saw was looking her up and down with an unsettling gaze. He was another anthropomorphic pig, short enough to barely reach Gohan's waist, and dressed in green overalls and a white singlet. He was a fair bit rounder in the belly area than Kage, and a lot more dopey-looking… but he still radiated an aura that made Videl wary. He didn't appear to be a threat though.

"What took you so long?" Videl then asked, turning her attention back to Gohan.

The dark-haired superhero grinned sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. "Sorry about that. Oolong here was getting a headache whenever I flew fast so I had to take it easy. I hope you didn't have to wait too long."

"Oh, it was no biggie," Videl said sarcastically. "I was kept entertained by the dozens of autographs passers-by asked me to sign for them.

It was at this moment that Oolong decided to make his presence known by whistling admiringly at Videl. "Wow, Gohan, you've found yourself a pretty one," he stated with a smirk. "Looks like she has a bit of an attitude, too. Chi-Chi, Bulma, and now her… I'm sensing a pattern here."

Gohan's cheeks reddened underneath his helmet. "Sh-shut up Oolong! This isn't the time and place!"

"Yeah, let's get straight to business," Videl added, trying to refrain from blushing herself.

Oolong chuckled and clasped his hands behind his head. "Suit yourselves. Just tellin' it like I see it."

"Whatever. Let's move," Videl said, heading for the hospital entrance. Gohan and Oolong followed suit, the pig snickering into his palm.

When they stepped through the large double doors, a chorus of gasps rang out through the hospital lobby. The trio ignored the commotion and made their way to the reception, where a blonde woman in a suit gawked at the sight of two of the city's most beloved heroes. "Miss Videl, Mr Saiyaman, it's an honour. What can I do for you two?" the star-struck receptionist asked with a bow.

"We're here to see the unconscious criminal who was brought in last night. Police business," Videl declared firmly.

"Oh, of course." The woman typed a few things into her computer then looked back at the visitors. "He's on the third floor, room 42. Would you like an escort?"

"No thanks, I know my way around this place," Videl replied, the faintest hint of a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.

With that the trio set off towards the room where Kage was kept. As they walked at a brisk space through the sterile white hallways of the hospital, Videl in the lead, Oolong leaned over towards the tallest member of their group. "Hey, Gohan… your girlfriend's kind of badass," he whispered, but loudly enough so that Videl heard him clearly.

"Oolong, just shut up already," Gohan groaned, covering his face with his hands.

Videl paid the pair no heed, figuring that the chuckling pig just wanted to get a reaction out of her… even if she agreed with his assessment. She was starting to piece together just what kind of person Oolong was, and it wasn't someone she wanted to be around.

Before too long they reached a mostly deserted hallway, in which the solitary occupant was a policeman sitting on a chair outside one of the rooms, flipping through a comic book. At the sound of their footsteps, he looked in their direction and grinned. "Miss Videl, Mr Saiyaman, it's great to see you two! The chief told me you'd be coming to visit."

"That's right, we're here to see the assassin," Videl said, speaking a lot more amicably than she did with the receptionist. She pointed her thumb towards Oolong. "We have someone here who might be able to identify him."

The policeman glanced down and Oolong and nodded. "Ahh, that makes sense. Well, good luck! This fella isn't going to be leaving this place anytime soon. You really did a number on him," he praised.

Videl flushed a bit and bowed her head graciously before stepping into the room, followed by Gohan and Oolong. The first thing she saw was a large, black, metallic bed with several straps attached to it. Lying down in the centre was Kage, a blanket covering his body but doing nothing to hide his face, which was black and bruised. His snout was completely covered in white tape, and his lips were cracked. Heavy-looking metal shackles bolted his arms, legs and waist to the bed, ensuring that even if he was awake, he'd barely be able to move a muscle. Videl felt another twinge of satisfaction at that fact.

"Well I'll be damned, if it isn't old Congou," Oolong spoke up, breaking the silence.

"Congou?" Gohan repeated.

"Yeah, Congou," Oolong affirmed, stepping up to the bed and looking over the unconscious pig. Used to go to shapeshifting school with me. He was a bonafide dork, always keeping to himself with his nose in the books. Tried to suck up to me sometimes, trying to be cool." He scratched his snout sheepishly. "I, uhh, used to give him a hard time."

"Gee, a bullied kid going off the deep end? Never heard that one before," Videl muttered, the sarcasm in her tone palpable as she scowled at Oolong.

The pig recoiled as a few trails of sweat dripped down his forehead. "Hey, I was a different person back then! I've changed! Besides, it's not like I ever beat him up or anything, I just teased him a bit and make him do my homework. Maybe I gave him a couple of wedgies here and there, but nothing major," he said glumly. "I didn't have a clue he'd grow up to become… this."

"It's impossible to know why Congou chose the path of a hitman, but the important thing is that he was stopped. Now he can't hurt anyone ever again," Gohan said, stepping in before Videl could grill Oolong any further.

"I know, I know. I just don't like bullies," Videl admitted, shooting another glare Oolong's way.

"I can see that. Sheesh," the pig responded, slowly stepping away from the girl until he stood on the other side of Gohan, the costumed superhero acting as a barrier between the two. "That's another name to add to the list of women that scare me, next to your mother and Bulma. See what I'm getting at?" He nudged the boy in the ribs.

Gohan just sighed and rubbed his temples exasperatedly. "Can we leave now?" he asked Videl.

"Yeah, we're done here," she replied curtly, leading the way out of the room.

After the trio had left the hospital and were about to set off, Gohan looked at the pig of the group and stroked his chin. "Hey Oolong, have you ever considered taking up martial arts?" he asked, making Videl raise an eyebrow. "Kage showed us just how useful shapeshifting can be in combat."

Oolong simply snorted in response. "No thanks. Way too much effort for my liking. As long as I have food, cigars and my magazines, I'm content with my lot in life."

Videl rolled her eyes, unsurprised by the lazy answer. "Wait a minute, what magazines?"

"Anyway, we should really be heading off," Gohan cut in a tad too hastily, startling the girl. "I have to go give out the Dragon Balls people I can trust, in case anyone else goes looking for then… or Goten and Trunks get a hold of them." He shuddered at that. "You can keep the one you found."

Videl nodded and smiled at the boy. "Cool. I'll see you tomorrow at school then?"

"You got it!" he replied, picking up Oolong and floating up to the sky before the pig could say a word. Then, with a wave, he disappeared over the horizon.

 _'What was he acting so weird for?'_ Videl thought as she trudged towards her house, hands in her pockets. _'Bah, it's probably just another Gohan thing. Thinking about it will just give me a headache.'_

* * *

"I cannot express in words just how relieved I am that you're safe, Mistress Videl," Mayweather the butler remarked, his tone as sincere as always while he poured Videl a cup of tea.

The girl graciously accepted the steaming hot beverage and reclined on the plush leather sofa she was sitting on before taking a sip. "Yeah, that was pretty crazy. Not something I ever thought would happen to me."

"Just think, an assassin of all things? How dreadfully ghastly," Mayweather remarked, his grey moustache bristling irritably as he poured himself a cup of tea and sat on an armchair opposite Videl. "And as if almost killing you wasn't enough, that swine had to leave the house in such a sorry state!"

It was early in the evening, a few hours after Videl had returned from uncovering Kage's identity at the hospital. Once she'd gotten home, she helped Mayweather clean up some of the mess from her fight with the shapeshifting pig until the kind old butler requested that he brew them a pot of tea. Videl saw no reason to decline, and so the pair sat themselves in the luxurious main living room of the Satan Manor, relishing the calm atmosphere before it would inevitably be broken.

"Dad's going to flip when he sees this," Videl said, rubbing her temples wearily. "You know how he gets."

"I don't disagree, but above all, Master Satan will be overjoyed to see that you're unharmed," Mayweather responded, adding another spoonful of sugar to his tea.

"I know, but that man overreacts to the smallest things. I can't imagine how much he's going to freak out over something this major," she mused, taking a long sip of her tea.

"What in the name of all that is holy is this!?" a booming voice shouted from outside.

"Speak of the devil," Videl winced. She exhaled deeply and stood up just as the front door burst open and her father rushed inside, red-faced and panicking.

When he saw that Videl was unhurt, he rushed towards her and enveloped her in a crushing hug. "Sweet Pea, you're alright!"

"D-Dad, you're crushing me," she wheezed.

Mr Satan held the hug for a few moments longer before letting go and locking eyes with his daughter. "What happened?"

Videl grinned sheepishly and scratched the back of her head. "Umm, about that… you see, a lot of things happened." At Mr Satan's subtle nod, she continued. "Basically, an assassin showed up last night and tried to kill me."

Mr Satan recoiled in shock as his eyes bulged out of their sockets. "What? Where is the son of a bitch? Let me at him, I'll rip him in half!"

"Don't worry about it, Dad, I already kicked his ass," Videl admitted, trying to placate her father.

Mr Satan took a deep breath and calmed down ever so slightly. "You did? Bah, of course you did! You're my daughter after all!" He ruffled his daughter's hair with his burly hand and pulled her in for another hug, before quickly letting go. "Wait a minute, what about all those craters outside? And the holes in the roof and walls? And my poor statues!?" His eyes welled up at that last part. "Did this chump bring explosives?"

"Not exactly," Videl replied, scratching her chin. "Just a few errant ki blasts, that's all."

To Videl's surprise, Mr Satan stepped back and regarded her with a questioning gaze. "What the hell is ki?"

* * *

 **AN: Well, that took far longer to get out that I ever expected. Really sorry about the huge wait for this chapter, guys, but life just kept kicking my ass, over and over and over again. Work, illnesses, writer's block, family tragedies… you name it. But hopefully I'm past all that now, and can get back to posting more regularly. It helps that the next chapter is one I'm really looking forward to writing.**

 **Anyway, with this chapter ends the Hunt for the Dragon Balls arc, which lasted way longer than I thought it would. But I'm pretty happy with how it went, and how it ended, even though the Trunks/Goten and Pilaf Gang scenes were a huge pain in the ass to write. I also went back and edited the chapter titles for this arc, to make them a bit more interesting.**

 **In any case, if you've stuck around with this fic for this long, you have my most sincere thanks. All the follows, favourites and reviews are greatly appreciated, and as always, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this latest chapter.**

 **Until next time!**


	13. The Search for the Golden Warriors

**Rising to the Challenge – The Legacy of Son Gohan**

 **Chapter 13 – The Search for the Golden Warriors**

"Dodge!"

Videl tilted her head to the side just as a pebble came sailing by her face. However, she wasn't quick enough to completely avoid the projectile, and winced when it grazed her cheek. Two more pebbles were thrown in her direction, aimed at her legs, but she managed to dodge them by doing a mid-air somersault. Unfortunately for Videl, this manoeuvre left her too slow to properly respond to another barrage of pebbles, and she could do nothing but bend over in pain as several of the rocks struck her in the stomach.

The assault stopped, causing Videl to shoot a glare at the ground, where a concerned Gohan was looking up at her with a frown. "Why did you stop? I can handle it!" she called down.

"No, you can't," was the boy's stern response.

Videl grit her teeth. "I'm not weak, Gohan! Stop trying to baby me! I'm the one who asked for this training!"

"I never said you were weak," Gohan replied calmly, "but you're not being yourself right now. You're unfocused and distracted, and training in that state will only do you more harm than good. If you were at the top of your game, you would've known that doing a somersault would've left you vulnerable immediately afterwards." He scratched his chin. "Maybe I should go back to using the tennis balls."

That was the last straw for Videl, who clenched her fist in rage, and hurled a ball of ki at her mentor as her frustration reached boiling point. Gohan raised an eyebrow and held out a hand to catch the feeble attack, crushing it in his palm. "Your spirit is as strong as ever, but spirit alone isn't going to help you learn how to dodge," he stated sagely. "Take a break for a few minutes. I'm going to get us some refreshments."

As Gohan took to the air and sped off towards his house, Videl floated down to the ground and walked over to the observing Sharpner and Erasa, then sat down beside them, grumbling to herself.

A frowning Erasa scanned over her friend with her light blue eyes, grimacing at the multitude of small bruises running down her bare arms and legs. "I still don't get the point of this training. It all seems so barbaric to me," she admitted worriedly.

"It's quite simple," Sharpner spoke up, seeing as Videl wasn't keen on talking. "Videl wanted to learn how to fight better while flying after her encounter with that assassin two nights ago – great job with that by the way – so Gohan decided the best option was to have Videl improve her agility by dodging projectiles while floating in the air… although I don't get why you didn't stick with the tennis balls?" he asked the girl in question. "Getting hit by rocks hurts like a bitch."

Videl's subsequent grunt caused Sharpner to recoil slightly. "Alright, alright, forget I asked," he said, a bead of sweat trailing down his temple. "Still, Gohan has a point. You really are off your game."

Before Videl could muster a reply to the criticism, Gohan landed in front of the group, balancing in his arms a pitcher of lemonade, four plastic cups and a platter of food. He arrayed it all neatly on a blanket he had brought with him. "Dig in, guys!"

"Sweet! Food!" Sharper exclaimed before reaching in for a piece of sushi and greedily sinking his teeth into it. "Mmm, this stuff is so good it's orgasmic," he moaned in glee.

"Ugh, you're such a brute," Erasa scoffed in disgust, choosing to go with some spring rolls. "Give my regards to Chi-Chi; the food is splendid," she told Gohan after taking a bite.

The spiky-haired boy smiled. "Will do."

Meanwhile, Videl glared at the food out of the corner of her eye. She was still pissed off, and she wanted to stay pissed off… but the thought of Chi-Chi's food brightened her mood a bit. After some internal deliberation, she let out a sigh and grabbed a skewer of meat off the platter.

Being pissed off could wait.

* * *

"So, are you finally going to tell us what's up?" Erasa enquired.

"No," Videl replied curtly, focusing on piloting her jetcopter over the lush woodland of Mount Paozu as the setting sun painted the sky a vibrant orange.

"Come on… you know you want to," Erasa prodded. "You were acting glum all day, both at school and at Gohan's. That's just begging for someone – namely me – to ask you what's wrong so you can tell me all about it."

"No it's not. Shut up." Videl fired back with a scowl.

"Come ooooon," the blonde whined.

No!"

"Yes!"

"Fine! I'll tell you if it'll get you off my ass!"

"Yay!" Erasa chirped, giving Sharpner a high-five. "That's how you do it!"

Videl frowned. "I was going to tell you guys eventually. I just didn't want to do it around Gohan," she admitted.

Sharpner mirrored her frown. "What? Did Brains do something wrong?"

"No. At least, I don't think so," Videl mumbled, puffing out her cheeks. "But I think he might be hiding something from me."

Erasa gasped. "Again with the whole secrets thing? I thought we were past all that?"

Videl sighed and buried her head in her hands after leaving the jetcopter on autopilot. "I don't know. My head's a mess right now. Gohan was right when he said that I wasn't focused – I was as far away from focused as you can get."

Erasa rubbed her back soothingly. "What's wrong?"

Videl moved her hands from her face, and her two blonde friends were shocked to see her cerulean orbs sparkling with unshed tears. "Guys… I don't think my dad was the one who killed Cell."

"What!?" the pair cried out simultaneously, their eyes bulbous. Whatever they were expecting to hear, this was near the bottom of the list.

"W-why would you say that?" Sharpner asked quietly.

Videl wiped away the wetness in her eyes and crossed her arms, putting on a brave face. "When my dad came back from his trip yesterday and asked me why the house was in such a crappy state, I told him the truth. That it was because of ki blasts gone astray," she explained. "Then he asked me what ki was."

Sharpner's mouth flopped open, the boy unsure what to say, so Erasa spoke up in his stead. "So… the stuff that you can Gohan can do, with the flying and the energy balls? He can't do any of that?"

Videl shook her head sadly. "Doesn't look like it. And it makes sense, right?" She slammed a fist into her palm. "Ever since Cell's defeat, he's been saying it's all tricks that are done with lights, mirrors and planted explosives – that kind of crap. But now we know that they aren't. Damn it all to hell! How could I have been so stupid to not notice it?"

Videl clenched her trembling fist and pulled it back, but just before she could punch a hole in the jetcopter's door, or worse, Erasa pulled her in for a comforting hug. The raven-haired girl's fist loosened as her anger ebbed away and she gave in to the embrace, taking comfort in the calming warmth the blonde provided.

After a few moments, Videl slipped away from Erasa's grasp and gave her friend a grateful smile, her features now significantly more serene. "Anyway, after I told him that ki was used to make energy blasts, my dad looked at me weirdly and asked if I was referring to tricks," she continued. "I said no, and that it was the real thing. Then my dad started freaking out – I've never seen him lose composure like that before. He checked my head for injuries, then he started pacing around the room, whispering something to himself. When he calmed down a bit, he told me I should get some rest, and then he locked himself in his study. I haven't seen him since."

"Shit, this is heavy," Sharpner muttered, running a hand through his golden locks. "Have you considered that your dad might have a different style of fighting that only he knows? Maybe one that doesn't utilise ki?" he offered.

Videl narrowed her eyes. "The thought did cross my mind… but it doesn't make any sense. I'm nowhere near Cell's level, but I think I have enough of an understanding of ki to know just how dangerous he was. The thought of my dad going up against someone like that, without the same weapons, and coming out victorious… I just can't comprehend it." She rubbed her temples in frustration. "Then there was the stuff that assassin said, about my dad being a phony. At the time I thought he was just taunting me, but now… now I don't know what to think."

Sharpner sighed. "I guess I see your point. Man, the thought of Mr Satan not being the one to take out Cell just doesn't sit right with me."

"Nor me," Videl added. "Especially considering he's, you know, my dad."

"You shouldn't jump to conclusions without any proof," Erasa chimed in, surprising the other two. "I… I trust your judgement, but I also trust Mr Satan. I don't think he's the type to lie to the whole world like that."

Videl smiled softly at her friend. "I admire your ability to hope for the best in people, you know that?" she told the blonde. "And who knows, maybe I'm too jaded to think about this rationally. But you are right; I need proof. So that's what I'm going to get."

Erasa laughed lightly at the admission. "I wouldn't expect anything else from you. Any ideas on where to start? Maybe you could enlist our resident genius to help out."

"No," Videl stated firmly, much to her friends' shock. "I'm not involving Gohan in this. Heck, I don't even want him to know what I'm doing."

"But… he's our friend too," Erasa said, her eyes drooping. "Don't you trust him?"

"Yes, he is our friend, and of course I trust him after everything he's done for me," Videl replied in a stern tone. "But I get the feeling he knows more than he's letting on. I notice the subtle changes in his demeanour every time I mention my father's exploits. Whether it's a small twitch, a weird look in his eyes, or his smile being half-hearted, he has some kind of reaction. I didn't think much of them at the time, but now… it can't be a coincidence."

Sharpner whistled in amazement. "Damn. You'd make a freakishly good detective, holy crap. It's actually frightening."

Videl's lip quirked upwards at the praise. "My badassery as a crime fighter isn't just limited to beating up crooks, you know?"

"No kidding," Sharpner chuckled. "Well, since Brains is off the table, do you need our help?"

Videl shook her head. "Maybe later, once I figure out how I'm going to go about this. Although…" she pondered, stroking her chin, "I will need you guys to make sure Gohan doesn't get suspicious, since I'm going to be taking at least a day off school."

"You sure you can pull it off?" Erasa questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course I can," Videl answered confidently. "I'll just tell my dad I'm not feeling too well and that I need a few days to recover. After what happened with Kage, he'll understand."

Sharpner clasped his hands behind his head and leaned back against his seat. "Looks like you've got it covered."

"Don't worry about us, we'll do our part!" his fellow blonde chimed in. "Although I do feel bad about having to deceive Gohan like this."

Videl sighed. "I know. I feel bad about it too. But sometimes you have no choice but to put aside your feelings and keep your eye on the prize, even if it means hurting someone you… care about," she stated emphatically, her expression hardening. "I'm sure Gohan of all people will understand."

X

Videl walked through her front door after having dropped off Sharpner and Erasa, only to be greeted by the eerie sight of an empty mansion. She sighed, cursing the silence. One of the downsides of living in a gigantic house was just how soulless it could feel, especially if there weren't that many people living in it to begin with.

With the bleakness of the surroundings only compounding her grumpiness, the raven-haired crime fighter trudged up the stairs, setting course for her father's study. She was a bit nervous, as evidenced by her slow gait and heavy steps, for she still wasn't sure what kind of reaction to expect from Mr Satan.

Once Videl came to a halt before the room in question, she paused. _'Well, might as well get this over with,'_ she thought, steeling her resolve. With that in mind, she rapped on the smooth wooden door, her knuckles gently scraping against its varnished surface.

"What?" barked out a loud voice from inside.

"It's me, Dad. Can I come inside?" she asked quietly.

A few moments passed with no response, until the door suddenly opened to reveal the burly figure of the man dubbed 'Strongest Under the Heavens'. Mr Satan gazed down at his daughter, his visage uncharacteristically nervous. "Uhh, hey, Sweet Pea. Can I help you?" he enquired in a startlingly subdued tone.

"Dad, is it alright if I take a day off school?" Videl queried, her eyes drooping ever so slightly.

Mr Satan did a double take. "Wait, what? Why would you want to do that?"

"It's about that whole assassin business," Videl answered, quivering her bottom lip so as to put on a troubled façade. "I haven't been feeling well since it happened. I just keep thinking back to that night, and it's stressing me out. I don't feel good, Dad. I just want to take some time off."

Mr Satan's cautious expression morphed into one of outright panic, and he pulled his daughter in for a crushing hug. "Of course you can, Sweet Pea. Take as long of a break as you need. I'll call your school the first thing in the morning to let them know," he mumbled, the sheer concern in his voice almost tangible.

"Thanks, Dad," Videl replied, sinking into her father's embrace and trying to ignore the way her heart clenched at having to blatantly lie to him.

After a while she reluctantly pulled back and looked up at the man. "What's going on, Dad? Why have you locked yourself in your study for the past day? You're worrying me."

Mr Satan sighed and ran a hand through his thick afro. "I'm sorry, Videl. I didn't mean to worry you. I've, ahh, been dealing with my own crap lately. Nothing to do with you. Then when I found out y-y-you nearly died, I didn't know what to do with myself. Hell, I'm still struggling to come to terms with it."

Videl frowned and comfortingly ran her hand down her father's muscular arm. "Just keep your chin up, Dad, and keep on fighting. You're the world champion after all. And don't worry about me either. I'm safe. What happened was… shocking, but I'll get over it. Dwelling on what could've been will only make you feel even crappier."

Mr Satan's gave his daughter a small smile. "I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the pep talk."

Despite herself, Videl couldn't help but smile back in return. "Don't mention it." She then sniffed the air and pouted. "And don't go too hard on the booze. Whatever it is you're going through, alcohol isn't the solution."

Mr Satan chuckled. "Noted. I'll catch you later, Sweet Pea."

With that he closed the door, leaving Videl to ponder the conversation they'd just had. Her face twisted into a frown, and a sickening feeling welled up in the pit of her stomach as she made her way towards her bedroom. _'I don't know what answer I'm expecting to find, but please, Dad… please don't break my heart.'_

* * *

Videl awoke early the following morning, choosing not to sleep in despite having the freedom to do so. Her insatiable drive when she set her mind to accomplishing a task was one of her best qualities, in her humble opinion. On top of that, she was frustrated at the futility of her efforts last night, having scoured what seemed like the entire web for footage of the Cell Games and failing to find even a five-second clip.

Videl couldn't help but find that suspicious, especially considering her father's love of showboating and stroking his ego. One would assume that he would want his proudest and most heroic achievement displayed on TV screens across the world, adding further glory to his name. But on the other hand, she could understand the sentiment behind wanting to erase all traces of footage from that horrific event, given what a dark day it was in Earth's history.

Nevertheless, that left Videl with no choice but to dig through her own memories of the Cell Games for clues. She remembered her father showing up with his entourage, as well as a large group of fighters who flew in from the sky. She couldn't recall exactly what they looked like due to how long ago it happened, nor could she remember how many of them there were, but there two warriors from that mysterious group that she never forgot about.

The first was the golden-haired man who fought Cell after her father tripped and got smacked into a mountain… which sounded ridiculous, now that Videl thought about it. Despite not being able to track their fight because of how fast they were moving, the raven-haired crime fighter remembered the golden-haired man put in a great showing against Cell before eventually conceding defeat, and calling a golden-haired boy to fight in his stead.

Now that was something Videl could recall vividly, mostly because of the sheer shock at seeing someone who looked to be her age going up against a giant bug monster with the power to destroy entire armies. It wasn't something a preteen girl was likely to forgot anytime soon.

The boy, who she assumed was the older golden warrior's son, fought Cell for a while, doing remarkably well despite his size. What happened after that, though, was like a nightmare that came to life. Cell eventually lost his composure and started torturing the poor boy, going so far as to spawn a handful of grotesque miniature Cells to attack the young fighter's friends, two of whom transformed into golden warriors themselves.

The footage cut out not long after that, and the next thing Videl knew – after a series of earthquakes that shook the planet – was that Mr Satan had stepped in amid all the chaos and finished Cell off for good. She remembered being immensely proud of her father and his courage, and celebrated his victory along with the rest of Earth's population.

As she sunk into her mattress with her hands behind her head, Videl tried to suppress the pang of worry that suddenly welled up in her gut. Could her father really have done it? Could he really have lied to the world for the past seven years? And if he did, who was it that actually killed Cell?

Was it perhaps one of the golden warriors? But if the older golden warrior gave up, and the younger golden warrior was the last to fight, then did that mean he was responsible? The thought that a mere child was the one who defeated the greatest threat the world had ever known was mind-boggling, and one that Videl could barely even comprehend.

On that note, who were the golden warriors in the first place, and how could she track them down? The main thing she could remember about them was their hair, but since that form was clearly a transformation of some sort, that wasn't much to go on. She needed to get a clearer look at them. _'But how?'_

Videl's eyes then lit up. If there was no footage of the Cell Games available, then she had to consult with someone who was there that day, and she had the perfect source in Mr Satan himself. However, she knew that if she approached him with the topic, he would get defensive and resort to his usual boasting, especially after his freak-out yesterday.

Still… that didn't mean he was necessarily a bad source. If there was ever a place that would contain the information she was looking for, it was her father's study. Unfortunately, that room was constantly locked, which meant she would have to resort to sneakier, stealthier measures.

Videl's heartbeat quickened at the mere prospect of skulking through her own house like some kind of thief. It went against everything she valued as a crime fighter, but she had no choice in the matter. It was the only possible option.

With a resigned sigh, Videl slipped out of her bed and rummaged through the closet in the corner of the room. Since her own bedroom was trashed during the fight against Kage, she was currently staying in one of her mansion's many guest rooms. After digging through several piles of white shirts, the raven-haired girl pulled out a simple black purse.

Despite it being hers, she rarely used the damn thing, finding a wallet and a backpack much more preferable and convenient. Still, it had its uses, namely as a hiding place for things she didn't want others to find. After all, who would be brave enough to go looking through Videl Satan's purse without her permission?

With a humourless chuckle, Videl withdrew two paperclips, which were rather easy to find given that there wasn't much in the purse to begin with. She placed the tiny metal objects under her tongue and crept out of the room.

As expected, the hallway outside was deserted. Thanking the innate soullessness of her house for perhaps the first time ever, Videl crept towards her father's bedroom, which wasn't too far from her own. When she reached it, she placed her ear to the door, only to be met with the sound of silence instead of her father's usual heavy snoring.

Wanting to be certain there was no one inside, Videl spread out a small wave of invisible ki, but was unable to sense a ki signature from within the bedroom. Satisfied with her findings, she proceeded further down the hallway, and after two minutes of traversing her gigantic mansion, came to a stop outside Mr Satan's study.

Taking a deep breath, she spread her ki out again, and like before couldn't pick up on her father's energy. Just as she was about to take the paperclips out of her mouth, she paused. Could her father be hiding his ki? Gohan had explained to her that such a thing was possible. Videl deliberated on this briefly, before eventually shrugging her shoulders and steeling her features. _'If my suspicions are proven correct, I have nothing to worry about.'_

With that thought in mind, the crime fighter crouched down before the lock and bent the two paperclips so that one was completely straight, while the other made an 'L' shape. She then jammed them into the top and bottom parts of the keyhole respectively, and twisted them as though they were an actual key until she heard a familiar click, followed by the door creaking open.

 _'Perfect,'_ Videl praised mentally. She'd been taught the art of lockpicking by some of Satan City's finest detectives in case she ever needed to infiltrate any criminal compounds, but never in a million years did she imagine she'd be using that skill to break into her father's private study.

After stepping inside the room, Videl locked the door and surveyed her surroundings, having never actually been in here before. As expected of Mr Satan, the area was suitably grandiose for someone with his enormous ego.

The floor consisted of a red velvet carpet, so soft beneath Videl's bare feet that it felt like she was standing on a cloud. Briefly basking in the comfort, the girl then cast her eyes to the left side of the room, where the wall was covered with a startling number of motivational posters. Opposite the posters, on the right side of the room, were two grand wall-mounted racks made from some sort of dark wood. One was stacked with various gold trophies, finely-decorated belts, and other such accolades her father had accrued throughout his martial arts career. The other shelf, meanwhile, was filled to the brim with DVDs and video tapes, mainly wrestling pay-per-views and classic action flicks on closer inspection.

Videl chuckled slightly at her father's taste in entertainment, until something strange caught her eye. Near the middle of the shelf were three DVD cases tilted sideways, which looked heavily out of place among the nearly arrayed DVDs and videos lined up perfectly alongside each other. Curious, the girl approached the shelf and pushed aside the DVDs, only to be greeted by the sight of a pitch black safe embedded in the wall. It was sleek and smooth, and bore a fingerprint scanner exactly like the one found on the hatch at Kage's hideout.

Videl cursed under her breath. There was no getting past that kind of security. Whatever her father hid in there must have been extremely important. Hopeful that the answers she sought rested elsewhere, the crime fighter turned her attention to the front of the room, where a large black desk sat underneath a flat-screen TV so humongous in size that it spanned the entire wall. To the left of the desk was a small wine rack built from stainless steel, and loaded with all kinds of wines, whiskeys and bourbons from brands she was wholly unfamiliar with.

Videl pushed aside the lavish black armchair before the desk and began scanning over its contents. The first thing that caught her eye was a framed picture taken immediately after the 24th Tenkaichi Budokai, which showed her father standing proudly with his championship belt around his waist, a massive grin spreading across his bearded features. She was propped up on his shoulder, an equally large grin on her face, and flashing the camera a peace sign with one hand while holding up her junior division winner's trophy with the other.

Videl smiled warmly at the picture, remembering what a joyous occasion that was. But since this was no time for sentimentality, she pushed those thoughts to the side and resumed her search. Ignoring the empty wine glass, she dug through some papers scattered across the desk, but found them to be nothing but new sponsorship deals her father had signed.

Sighing in frustration, Videl opened the drawers of the desk and rummaged through them, but found nothing of note other than a novel called 'Bob and Margaret', which she tossed aside in disdain. "Gross."

She was just about to give up hope, until by chance her knuckles rapped against the bottom of the drawer and pushed down what felt like a plank of wood. Her eyes widened. She knew exactly what that meant: a secret compartment.

With a renewed vigour, Videl pushed aside the various crap inside the drawer, stuck her fingers around the edges of the false bottom, and lifted it slightly until she could reach underneath it and pull out a folder of some sort. As soon as the crime fighter read the title of the folder, she let out a gasp and almost dropped what she was holding. Spelled out in plain black text were the words, 'Cell Games Re-enactment'.

With trembling hands, Videl brought the folder to the desk and hesitated for a second before opening it… only to raise her eyebrow in disbelief at what was inside. "What the hell is this?"

Whatever she was expecting to find, it sure as hell wasn't a picture of a Cell bobblehead, or rather, a man in a poorly-made Cell costume wearing a giant mask. She flipped the page and was treated to yet another bobblehead-esque costume, this time of her father.

"You've got to be kidding me," Videl muttered, stunned by the absurdity of this discovery. She turned to the next page, which was a draft of a script, and proceeded to read some lines. "We will stop you, Cell monster? Your useless tricks are stupid and useless? Oh my, but now I am scared?" She put the folder down and sweatdropped. "This shit looks like it was written by a grade-schooler." Hesitantly, the crime fighter turned the page again, but what she saw this time shocked her so much it made her eyes bulge. "No. Freaking. Way."

Before Videl was a picture of the mysterious group of fighters who showed up at the Cell Games. Like with Cell and Mr Satan, all the fighters were actors wearing giant masks, but if her father and Cell were anything to go by, their costumes were accurate. Her eyes scanned over the strange warriors, pausing briefly on the giant green guy with pointy ears – the weirdest of the bunch by far – before locking on to the two golden warriors. She gasped.

"Is that… Goku's gi?" Rubbing her eyes, Videl focused on the outfit of the older golden warrior, and noted that it was an exact replica of the orange gi worn by the Son patriarch. Her heartbeat quickened. "But if that's Son Goku, then the kid beside him would be… no!"

She leapt back from the table and placed a hand over her chest in an attempt to calm herself down. It wasn't working, as her mind was going into overdrive, trying to piece together all the clues she'd gathered.

It made sense, didn't it? The Golden Warrior who showed up in Satan City happened to be wearing the exact same clothes as Son Gohan, and it happened on Gohan's first day to boot! Plus, the Golden Warrior never made another appearance after the Great Saiyaman became a thing. Gohan just so happened to be Saiyaman.

At this point Videl's heart was threatening to hammer a way through her chest, so she took a few deep breaths to try and compose herself.

Gohan was the right age to have been the boy at the Cell Games. The golden form was clearly a transformation of some sort, as evidenced by the two fighters who turned into golden warriors on video. Gohan even admitted to being involved in the Cell fiasco, albeit as part of the group who revived Cell's casualties with the Dragon Balls.

It made too much sense, and she was freaking out because of it. Videl inhaled through her nose and exhaled through her mouth, using the meditation technique Gohan taught her to steady her racing heartbeat. "I'm jumping to conclusions. Let's look at this rationally."

Gohan had outright denied being the Golden Warrior, and Videl couldn't fathom why he'd keep such a thing a secret after already being outed as the Great Saiyaman. Furthermore, she didn't think Gohan was the type to lie to her face a second time, especially after the fallout they had over the Saiyaman incident. He apologised, told her to trust him, and attempted to make amends by training her to use ki – something she would be eternally grateful for. As far as Videl was concerned, Gohan had given her no reasons to doubt him.

The thought was a calming one, and made her lip quirk upwards a tad. She looked back down at the picture, and briefly focused on the two fighters in the odd blue and white armour, who she remembered could turn their hair gold as well; if that was the case, then what was the original hair colour of the first two golden warriors?

Videl briefly scanned over the picture again before slamming a palm on her forehead. She had committed one of the cardinal sins of investigation by being too focused on one thing and ignoring everything else – in this case, the hair. So obsessed was she by the golden transformation, that she had completely overlooked the fact that two of the mysterious fighters wore the same orange gi as the older golden warrior.

From what she knew of martial arts history, the students of Turtle School, studying under the world-renowned Muten Roshi, all wore orange gis. From what Gohan had told her, Muten Roshi was still alive. If Muten Roshi was still alive, and three of his students fought in the Cell Games, then surely he would know their identities, as well as what really happened on that day.

Before Videl could ponder this further, she heard the clicking of a key twisting in the locked door behind her, and her heart skipped a beat. Taking advantage of a sudden surge of adrenaline, she slammed the folder shut and shoved it back into the drawer's secret compartment. She then dashed to the window, opened it, and flung herself out of the room. Floating up until she was high above her mansion, the crime fighter panted heavily until her breathing steadied.

Glancing down at the two used paperclips in her hand, Videl hurled them into the air and vapourised them with a simple ki blast. With the evidence that could incriminate her disposed of, she flew down into her room and plopped onto her bed, thanking Kami that she slept with an open window.

Now that she was back in a safe environment, Videl leaned back into her snug mattress and let her mind wander. Much to her annoyance, she'd forgotten to bring her phone when she went searching through her father's study, and as such wasn't able to take a picture of the mysterious group of warriors for reference. But that didn't mean her endeavour was fruitless, because she'd still managed to connect some dots.

If she wanted to find answers about what happened at the Cell Games, Muten Roshi was her best lead by far. Even in the unlikely instance that he didn't have anything useful to tell her, she was still certain that meeting a veritable legend in the martial arts community would prove a valuable experience.

Finding out where the old master lived wasn't going to be an issue for Videl, as she knew just where to look. What was a problem, however, was what she could potentially find out from Muten Roshi.

Now that she had a clear goal in mind, the prospect of uncovering the truth of the Cell Games caused a feeling of doubt to well up inside her. What if the answers she found exposed her father as a fraud? What if Gohan's connections to the Cell Games ran far deeper than he claimed? Was the pursuit of truth worth it if it would lead to her heart being broken and her worldview shattered?

Videl was broken from her musings by a knocking at her door. "Who is it?" she asked, grateful for the interruption. Her mind was going to a dark place and stirring up feelings of cowardice she wasn't aware she was capable of.

"It's just me, Mistress Videl," came Mayweather's voice from the other side. "I come bringing breakfast."

Videl's stomach rumbled at the reminder. She was so absorbed in her research last night that she had forgotten to eat dinner, and her little escapade earlier this morning did her no favours either. Now her body was sending her signs that it was displeased with that decision. "You can come in," she called to the butler, scurrying underneath her blanket.

The door opened and Mayweather stepped inside the room, carrying a silver tray stacked with various foods, and bringing with him a pleasant aroma that Videl knew all too well. Despite her distressing thoughts, she gave the butler a small smile. Food was always a welcome distraction.

"Toast with jam, banana oatmeal and pancakes with berries. Just the way you like it," Mayweather explained, placing the tray in front of Videl. "Your father told the chefs to add a little more food than usual since you didn't eat last night."

"Thanks, I appreciate it," she replied gratefully, touched by her father's thoughtful act. "Where is my dad by the way?"

"Master Satan left early this morning. He said he had some business to attend to," the butler answered. At Videl's almost imperceptible grimace, his eyes drooped ever so slightly. "Is it alright if I take a seat?" he enquired, gesturing to the edge of the bed.

"Go ahead," Videl responded neutrally, adjusting the tray so that she could eat comfortably.

Mayweather nodded his thanks and sat down. He then scanned over the girl, a concerned frown visible on his features. "How are you feeling?" he asked softly.

Videl swallowed the bit of pancake she was chewing on before replying. "Hard to say. It's been a weird couple of days."

Mayweather chuckled lightly. "That's one way to put it. Are you still shaken up by what happened over the weekend?"

The crime fighter scrunched her face at the question. "A bit. But that isn't the only thing that's been worrying me," she admitted.

Mayweather's eyes widened, the man clearly startled by the revelation. "Is it something you'd like to share?"

Videl placed her fork down and sighed, running a hand through her raven locks. After a few moments of hesitation, she steeled her nerves and locked eyes with the butler. "How would you react if you found out someone you trusted has been keeping a huge secret from you? And not just keeping it a secret, but lying to your face the whole time?"

Mayweather's mouth opened for a second, then closed, as if he was unsure what to say. For a man who was so composed all the time, it spoke volumes about how taken aback he was by the question. After a few seconds of silence, he sighed and looked away from Videl. "Well, I would be extremely disappointed with the person who was lying, as well as deeply hurt," he revealed, his tone gloomy. "But if I had already trusted this person, then I would give them a chance to explain themselves. After all, they must have had a reason for lying to me in the first place. Eventually, I might even find it in me to forgive them."

Videl pondered the butler's words. They made sense, and his approach seemed like the rational one to take… but she was still unsure. "But what if the secret this person kept from you is so massive, you don't know if you can ever look at them the same way again, let alone outright forgive them?" she asked.

At this, Mayweather gave the girl a sad smile. "That depends on what kind of person you are, my dear," he explained wisely. "Are you willing to bear a grudge and possibly sever your ties to this person for good? Or can you find it in your heart to forgive whoever it is that wronged you, and allow them to continue being a part of your life?"

Videl didn't know how to respond. She needed some time to digest this information and steel her resolve before doing anything else. The girl smiled warmly at the kind butler. "Thanks for the talk, Mayweather. I really needed that."

"The pleasure is all mine, Mistress Videl," he responded, matching her smile with one of her own. "If you're ever in need of someone to talk to, don't hesitate to ask."

Videl nodded. "I'll keep that in mind."

When Mayweather left the room, the smile slipped from Videl's face and her features hardened. Her doubts and fears were still there, as much as it pained her to admit it, and she doubted she'd be rid of them for good until she found what she was looking for… but there was no way in hell she was going to be a prisoner to her emotions and take the coward's way out. She didn't want to remain ignorant.

If Son Gohan could cast aside his shyness and desire for privacy, and adopt an outrageous superhero persona that allowed him to use his immense powers to help people, so too could she cast aside her qualms and uncertainties, and uncover the truth about that awful day despite the very real possibility that it could turn her world upside down.

Videl's stomach then rumbled, reminding her that her breakfast had been neglected. With renewed vigour, she dug into her meal. The chefs her father employed couldn't hold a candle to Chi-Chi, but they were still among the best in the world in their profession.

* * *

Videl strode out of the Satan Manor clad in her regular clothes and with a backpack slung over her shoulder, her gait strong and confident. Her keen eyes scanned over the devastated front yard, taking note of the builders setting up their gear. They had arrived shortly after breakfast to begin repairs on the mansion, and Videl saw this as the perfect excuse to leave the house. Mayweather had no issues letting her go, believing that the last thing she needed while recuperating was to spend all day listening to the hustle and bustle of a construction crew.

He wasn't entirely wrong.

Videl decapsulised her jetcopter and took to the skies, setting off towards the southwest. As she flew, a serene smile spread across her lips, momentarily distracting her from the weight of her task. "Papaya Island sure is nice at this time of year."

* * *

 **Omake – It's all Fun and Games until Someone Whips out a Gun**

Two sports cars sped down a highway, the vicious roar of their engines reverberating through the seemingly deserted city they were in. Despite the attempts of both drivers to ram the other off the road, the pair of ferociously fast vehicles – one red and one blue – were neck and neck in their race, nary a metre separating them.

A sharp right turn was coming up ahead which led to the last stretch of road before the finish line, causing the driver of the red car to grin. His car was situated to the right of his opponent's, meaning he had the advantage by being on the inside. With the thought of victory assured, the red car drifted neatly past the turn and rocketed towards the finish line.

The blue car had done well to keep up, but still found itself slightly behind the red car. However, the driver of the blue car refused to panic, opting to smirk instead; for he had a plan that would ensure his victory. Just as his blue car passed the boot of the red car, he turned his steering wheel and slammed the side of his bumper into the rear wheel of his opponent's vehicle.

The sheer force of the collision in such a key location abruptly halted the red car in its tracks and sent it tumbling helplessly across the highway. When the spinning finally came to a stop, the once beautiful machine was completely totalled, wrecked beyond repair, and its driver could only watch helplessly as his opponent eased past the finish line.

The words 'YOU'RE WINNER' flashed across the screen in big, bold letters, accompanied by a picture of an odd three-handled trophy.

Goten turned to Trunks and pouted. "You cheated!"

"Did not!" the accused boy scoffed in response.

"It's a racing game! You're not supposed to kill people in a racing game!" Goten retorted.

Trunks crossed his arms and smiled smugly. "The option was there, so I took it. If you want to blame anyone, blame the guys who made the game in the first place… or you can stop sucking so much."

Goten exhaled deeply and crossed his arms as well, only he had a more solemn look on his face. "I don't know why I even go with you to the arcade anymore when you keep kicking my butt. Losing all the time isn't fun, and it's not fair that you have an arcade in your house that you can always practice at."

Trunks chuckled and clasped his hands behind the back of his head. "So that's your excuse now? In my defence, the crummy arcade machines they use here in Satan City are a lot older than the ones I have at my house, so it's not like I'm actually practicing at home.

Goten sighed dejectedly. "I guess you have a point, but still-"

"I'm only going to ask you nicely once! Either you give us all the coins and tickets you have, or I'll riddle your ass so full of bullets you'll have multiple assholes!"

The two demi-Saiyans raised their eyebrows at the crude language, and leaned out of their car seats to look at the commotion. To their shock, they were treated to the sight of a large group of young men crowding around the terrified and trembling arcade worker who stood behind the counter, as regular arcade-goers fled the establishment in droves. Many of the men had beer bottles clasped in their hands, the putrid stench of alcohol permeating the entire room.

"I-I-I'm sorry, s-sir, res-responding to threats is a-a-a-against company policy!" the arcade worker, a pudgy, middle-aged man, responded bravely.

The thug who had done the speaking slammed his beer bottle onto the counter, breaking it in half, and pointed the sharp end at the throat of the petrified employee. "You think I won't do it! Because I'm gonna do it! Me and my boys have been drinking all night and we want to cut loose and have some fun, and some shitstain like you ain't going to stop us! This city belongs to us!"

"Yeah!" the man's drunken friends chorused behind him, raising their bottles in merriment.

"Y-Y-You'll never g-ge-get away with this!" the arcade worker squeaked.

The thug laughed and flung his empty bottle to the side. "You got balls, fat man, I'll give you that." He then pulled out a handgun from his jeans and pointed it at the forehead of the man who dared to stand up to him. "So I'll make your death quick and painless."

"Why didn't anyone tell me the circus was in town. Saiyaboy, did you know the circus was in town?"

"Nope! I had no idea! These guys don't look like clowns to me!"

"I guess you're right. Clowns are funny. These losers aren't funny; they're retarded."

The silence in the air was so thick one would be able to hear a pin drop, as the stunned thugs stared dumbfoundedly at the pair of children who had seen fit to interrupt their fun. Unfortunately for them, Goten and Trunks, clad in their Saiyaboy and Saiyaprince outfits respectively, didn't flinch even a bit under the scrutiny.

"Is this some kind of joke?" the lead thug demanded, turning his complete attention to the two boys and failing to spot the arcade worker bolting out of the building. "Who let you pissants out of kindergarten?"

"For your information, we've already passed kindergarten," Trunks responded calmly. "Well, I have at least. I don't know about him," he added, pointing at Goten.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" the younger demi-Saiyan shot back.

"You think this is a game? I'm not playing any games! If you get in my way, you're dead! Dead! I don't even care that you're in kindergarten!"

With that the enraged thug unloaded an entire clip of ammunition at the two boys… only for it to ultimately amount to absolutely nothing. "W-w-w-what?"

Trunks sighed dramatically. "You'd think after the first few times words would spread that bullets don't work on us. Saiyaboy, you're up."

"On it!" Goten picked up a basketball from one of the nearby machines and hurled it towards the man who had shot at them. The gobsmacked brute could do nothing as the large ball flew at him like a cannonball and impacted against his stomach, sending him flying out of the window of the arcade, shattering the glass along the way.

The rest of the thugs could only stare at their unconscious boss in a mixture of shock, awe and horror. Gulping audibly, they craned their necks back towards the boys, who were standing nonchalantly with their arms crossed as if nothing had happened.

"Are we done here? Or do you wimps actually have the balls to try something against us?" Trunks taunted.

As if a switch had been flipped, the drunken rabble charged towards the pair of children, intent on beating the daylights out of them. Unfortunately for them, they were far were too intoxicated to realise that they were completely out of their depth.

Goten grabbed a pool cue and whacked it against the shins of several onrushing goons, causing them to cry out in pain and plummet to the floor. Trunks, meanwhile, had stockpiled a collection of pool balls and was using the thugs as target practice, felling them one by one with practiced ease.

After snapping his pool cue against the backside of one of the thugs, Goten was rushed by two of his buddies, who thought they stood a chance against the young superhero because he was rendered weaponless. However, all this resulted in was Goten leaping up, slamming their heads together, and flinging them into a pinball machine, making it light up.

At the same time, Trunks had grabbed another thug by the legs, and was swinging him around like a baseball bat, whacking any unfortunate soul who dared come near him into unconsciousness. Once the area around him was clear, the lavender-haired demi-Saiyan let go of his captive, and smirked as he crashed into the sensor of a punching machine with such force that the numbers monitoring power shot up to maximum. "High score!" a voice from the machine chimed.

Goten and Trunks regrouped near the racing game they were playing before, and grinned at each other behind their helmets.

"I was wrong when I said going to the arcade wasn't fun… this is great!" the younger of the two chirped.

Trunks chuckled. "Good to know. But don't expect this to become a regular thing. Once these bozos are dealt with, I'm going back to kicking your ass!"

At this point the number of attacking thugs had been reduced to a mere handful. They had picked up whatever they could find lying around, ranging from pool cues and foosball rods, to fake guns and pachinko balls, and were readying themselves for one final charge.

In response, Goten and Trunks ripped off the steering wheels from the racing game, and when the goons rushed towards them with a drunken battle cry, they flung the wheels as though they were a pair of superpowered frisbees. Nobody was left standing.

In the aftermath of the brawl, Trunks and Goten surveyed the extent of the damage that had been caused to the arcade. Bits of broken glass littered the floor, multiple machines were tipped over, pool cues were snapped, and pool balls were embedded into the walls and ceiling. A basketball hoop was rendered unusable when Goten had tried to slam dunk one of the goons through it, and the punching machine that Trunks had hurled a person into was flashing random numbers that made no sense.

All in all, it was a mess of monumental proportions, and the older demi-Saiyan couldn't help but wince. "This place is going to be out of business for a long time," he muttered.

"Trunks, did we do something bad?" Goten enquired meekly.

"Of course not!" Trunks reassured him, clapping him on the back. "The bad guys were about to shoot the poor arcade worker, so we had to step in and stop him. We're heroes!"

Goten chippered up at that. "You're right! We saved the day! I can't wait to tell Gohan about it when I get home!"

"That's the spirit," Trunks stated amusedly. "Now let's get out of here. I can hear the police sirens. Since we've already done the bulk of their job for them, they can take it from here and transport these guys to the slammer."

With that the superpowered duo shot out of the arcade and rocketed through the skies, scouring the bustling city below for any disturbances that required a hero's help.

* * *

 **AN: Hi all. Sure has been a while, hasn't it? I apologise for how long it took me to get this chapter out, but the past six months have been incredibly hectic with work, health issues, stress and other such crap. Add to that a serious case of writer's block, and before I knew it it had been almost half a year since I updated. Hopefully I can update at a far more frequent rate from now on, because there's still a lot of awesome stuff I'm looking forward to writing.**

 **Another reason I struggled a lot with this chapter because it was so character-driven, and I didn't want to jump the gun on certain things, so there was a lot of revision and rewriting going on. It wasn't the most interesting chapter to write by far, but it was one that needed to be written, and is important in helping drive the plot forward so that I can finally get to the more exciting stuff. Hopefully the omake at the end made up for some of the dreariness. Still, I'd love to hear what you guys thought, so please leave a review if you're able to.**

 **Lastly, I'd like to thank all the people who have favourited, followed and reviewed this fic thus far. Your continued support has been greatly appreciated, and is one of my main sources of motivation.**

 **Until next time!**


	14. Meeting the Master

**Rising to the Challenge – The Legacy of Son Gohan**

 **Chapter 14 – Meeting the Master**

Pleasant rays of sunshine greeted Videl as she flew over Mount Frypan and reached the Southern Sea, the last stretch of her journey before Papaya Island. Doubling as both the location of the Tenkaichi Budokai and a holiday resort, Papaya Island was blessed with a lovely tropical climate for a good part of the year, making it an ideal tourist destination. While the place was always popular among the travelling crowd, its popularity truly skyrocketed whenever the Tenkaichi Budokai came around, making for a grand spectacle that demanded the world's attention.

Setting her jetcopter to autopilot, Videl leaned back in her seat as memories of the 24th Tenkaichi Budokai began to surface. She remembered steamrolling through the junior division despite being the only girl competing, silencing all the doubters taunting her about her small frame and gender. After that, her father went on the blitz the senior division with just as much ease, making for a father-daughter success story that took the world by storm.

While Mr Satan was already a well-known public figure because of his previous accolades in martial arts tournaments, his overwhelming victory at the Tenkaichi Budokai turned him into a global superstar, and that was only compounded by Videl's victory in the same competition. Since then, the family barely left the public eye, much to the youngest Satan's displeasure.

Videl was broken from her reminiscing when the faint outline of Papaya Island appeared on the horizon. She steered her jetcopter towards the island, pausing briefly to admire the pretty palm trees that dotted the landscape, as well as the majestic mountains that overlooked the martial arts temple which served as her destination. Landing her jetcopter outside of the establishment, Videl capsulised the vehicle and breathed in the fresh tropical air.

The crime fighter scanned her surroundings, taking note of the multitude of tourists happily conversing and snapping pictures of the temple. A few food stalls and souvenir shops were set up around the paved temple grounds, making for a most festive atmosphere. It seemed that even with the 25th Tenkaichi Budokai still a few months away, martial arts enthusiasts were buzzing, and from what she could gather from the chatter, there was a steadily building amount of anticipation in the air.

With a small smile adorning her features, Videl strode through the grounds until she reached the reception area, a small room enclosed by wooden walls that housed a single desk. Behind the desk stood a thin man who looked to be in his twenties, clad in an orange robe with blue embroidery and an odd orange hat atop his head, the outfit denoting him as one of the temple attendants who lived on the grounds.

Upon hearing her footsteps, the man looked up his computer and his eyes widened in recognition. "Could that be… Miss Videl? My, you sure have grown since I last saw you here seven years ago!"

Videl chuckled at the comment. "Yeah, that's kinda what happens when people get older."

The man smiled. "Indeed, indeed. Have you been well? How's your father? We're all very much looking forward to seeing him defend his title in a few months."

Videl's smile dropped slightly. "I'm good. Things have been a bit crazy lately to be perfectly honest, but I'm good. Dad's good too."

"That's great to hear," the temple attendant stated jovially. "Ahh, it appears I got a bit side-tracked. How may I help you?"

Videl regained her composure and adopted a more businesslike tone. "I know this is an unusual request, but I was wondering if you could give me the location of Muten Roshi. I know you guys keep a record of the residential addresses of all tournament participants."

The temple attendant was stunned if his gaping mouth was anything to go by. "Why on Earth would you possibly need that?" he enquired suspiciously.

Videl let out a dejected sigh. "I was hoping to keep this a secret, but I'm currently undergoing intense training before the tournament, and was hoping I could get some help from Muten Roshi. After all, he's one of the best instructors in the business." It wasn't technically a lie… it just wasn't the whole truth.

The orange-robed man narrowed his eyes, but Videl refused to waver under his gaze despite the sudden pounding of her heart. An eternity seemed to pass, until finally the temple attendant's features softened, and he gave the girl a wide grin. "Well colour me surprised! That's the last thing I expected to hear from you! I thought you'd be training under Mr Satan."

Videl gave a nervous chuckle and scratched the back of her head. "My dad hasn't trained me in years, and he's really secretive with his training these days, so I have no choice but to look to… other teachers."

The temple attendant laughed heartily. "Just what I'd expect from the world champion, keeping his cards close to his chest!" He leaned forward and beckoned Videl closer. "Technically I shouldn't be doing this, but I trust you. Besides, if it'll make the tournament more competitive, I see no harm in it." He typed a few things into his computer, wrote something down on a piece of paper, then gave it to Videl. "This is Muten Roshi's last registered address. I don't know if he's still alive or not, or whether he's moved somewhere else, but if you see him, maybe ask if he can get a couple of his students to compete? I wasn't around for the old tournaments, but some of the older guys around here can't stop raving about them."

Videl took the offered slip of paper and smiled warmly at the man. "Thanks so much for this. I really appreciate it. I don't mean to ask any more of you, since you've already been a huge help, but could you please keep this between us?"

"Not a problem," the temple attendant remarked cheerfully. "I hope you find what you're looking for, and please give my regards to your father. See you in a few months!"

Videl bowed graciously before exiting the building and making her way off the temple grounds. She couldn't believe she'd gotten away with that. She was still somewhat mortified at having to do something so shady… but she consoled herself in the knowledge that it was for a good cause.

Once Videl left the premises and boarded her jetcopter, she took to the skies and read the piece of paper she'd been given. Her brow raised in bemusement. _'That can't be right.'_ She turned on her vehicle's GPS and input the address, only for it to confirm her suspicions. _'It… is right.'_

According to the GPS, Muten Roshi's address was smack dab in the middle of the ocean, just south of the Son home. After staring at the blinking dot on the radar for a few moments, Videl simply shrugged. A house in the middle of the ocean was one of the tamer things she'd been exposed to as far as people connected to the Son family went.

With her new destination in mind, Videl piloted her jetcopter towards the east. As she flew, her thoughts strayed to the temple attendant, and his desire to see some of Muten Roshi's pupils compete in the Tenkaichi Budokai. It was actually a pretty neat idea, and she could see a lot of benefits from roping Gohan and his friends into competing. Granted, her own chances of winning would plummet to catastrophic levels – she wasn't so deluded as to think otherwise – but what worth was there in winning the tournament if the world's strongest fighters weren't competing? Besides, she couldn't help but be curious… who really was the 'Strongest Under the Heavens'?

 _'Gohan…'_

A pang of loneliness flashed through Videl's chest as she realised just how much she missed the eldest Son child. She missed his curious onyx orbs that she could gaze into for days. She missed his spiky black hair that seemed to be begging for her touch. She missed his smile that could brighten her day no matter how dark it was. After having gotten so used to Gohan's constant presence in her life, not being around him hurt, and keeping secrets from him hurt even more.

Videl glanced at the clock on her dashboard. It was just past midday, meaning it was lunchtime at school. A smile graced her lips. _'Knowing you, Gohan, I bet you're digging into one of Chi-Chi's delectable meals right now, you lucky, adorable bastard.'_

* * *

"Achoo!"

Gohan sniffled and scrunched his nose. _'Where did that come from? Bah, never mind, I have more important things to worry about.'_

With that thought, he steeled his features and glared straight ahead, directly into the barrel of the tank gun that was aimed directly at his face. "Sir, I'm only going to ask you one more time. Evacuate the vehicle with your hands behind your head, and no one's going to get hurt," he demanded in an authoritative manner.

The hatch on the top of the tank opened up and an elderly man wearing an army suit and general's hat popped out, a half-empty bottle of bourbon in his hand. "Who the hell are you to tell me what to do, punk?" he shouted, waving the bottle threateningly. "I was fighting wars when you were still suckling on your mummy's teat, you limp-dicked, bowlegged, wimpy ass greenhorn!"

Gohan sighed dramatically. "Who am I, you ask? Well…" He leapt backwards and lifted his left fist into the air while shooting his right arm out to the left. He then turned his whole body to the right while keeping his head facing forward, and lifted his arms as though wielding a sword. "I am the defender of truth, justice and the Saiyaman way…" His arms whizzed out to the sides and he did several quick sprints on the spot. "The one, the only, the Great Saiya-whaa!"

Before Gohan could finish introducing himself and end his pose with a split, the alarm on his watch went off, startling the demi-Saiyan and making him topple forward. His eyes widened. "Already? But I didn't even get to finish my routine!"

Gohan was forced to tilt his head to the side as the now empty bottle of bourbon flew harmlessly past him and shattered on the ground. "I'm sorry, sir, but I have to end this now."

With a determined gleam in his eyes, Gohan levitated forward and grabbed the tank by the bottom. Then, with consummate ease, he tilted the gargantuan vehicle upwards. Despite its dumbfounded driver being grossly intoxicated and mostly incapable of rational thought, he was cognizant enough to recognise the danger he was in, and leapt out of the war machine before it was completely flipped over. Crashing hard onto the rough cement of the road, he only had a second to comprehend his situation before a poke in the back of the head rendered him unconscious.

"The police can take it from here," Gohan mumbled to himself as he shot into the air and rocketed towards Orange Star High. Within seconds he had landed on the roof of the school and dematerialied his Saiyaman outfit.

"Cutting it a bit close, eh Gohan?"

Said boy froze in his tracks, the thought that he got outed flashing through his head, until he looked towards the source of the voice and fought a smirking Sharpner and a giggling Erasa. He breathed a sigh of relief and scratched the back of his head. "I lost track of time. Some drunk lunatic went joyriding in a tank of all things."

Sharpner whistled, impressed. "Damn. Wish I was there to see it. Tanks are badass."

Gohan mumbled something imperceptible as his two friends followed him through the door and down the stairs. "I wish Videl was here. Together we could've covered a lot more ground." A thoughtful look spread across his face. "Maybe I should go see her after school. I'm worried about her."

"No!" Erasa suddenly shouted, surprising the demi-Saiyan, who raised an eyebrow in her direction. The blonde's eyes nervously shifted to the side. "I talked to Videl this morning and she told me she didn't want to be disturbed under any circumstances."

Gohan pouted. "Why didn't she tell me that?"

"Because you don't have a phone," Erasa replied casually.

"But I do have a phone. I even gave her my number," he exclaimed.

Erasa giggled and latched onto the boy's arm. "I'm talking about a mobile phone, dummy. You gave her your home phone number, which is totally the wrong thing to give to a girl, FYI."

Gohan was confused. "FYI?"

Sharpner chuckled. "Don't worry about it, bro. Say, how about the three of us go get you a mobile phone after school? Then you'll finally be able to call yourself a real boy! Ouch, don't smack me, Erasa! I'm sunburnt on that arm!"

Gohan ignored the scuffle between his two friends and pondered Sharpner's question. It would be nice to have his own phone. That way, he could talk to Videl whenever he wanted without his mother and brother eavesdropping, which he honestly wouldn't put past them to attempt. He smiled. "That's a great idea!"

At that moment the second lunch bell rang, signifying that students should be in class by this point. The blondes winced.

"Crap, we're late for class!" Sharpner muttered. "Good thing we have Mrs Cruel. She won't mind if we arrive a couple of seconds after the bell. She's nice like that."

Gohan, however, wasn't paying attention to his friend, nor did he register the fact that he was late – a fact that normally would've terrified him to the core. His mind was focused on one person, and one person only. _'I wonder what Videl's doing right now…'_

* * *

Videl yawned loudly as she stretched her arms and cracked her neck. Being stuck in a small, tight space for a long period of time was a rather uncomfortable experience. She would've loved to just jump out of her jetcopter and fly to her destination, but she didn't want to risk being noticed by Gohan with that damnable ki sensing of his that she was insanely jealous of.

Thankfully for the crime fighter, she spotted a small house with a red roof in the distance, situated on a tiny island. When the jetcopter drew closer, she could make out the words 'KAME HOUSE' painted on the pink wall of the building, just beneath the roof. She perked up at that, realising that she had finally reached her destination.

With a barely-subdued grin, Videl landed on the island and capsulised her jetcopter, taking note of the sandy exterior and grassy interior of the miniscule landmass. She then stared at the quaint little house encircled by three palm trees, finding that despite its odd appearance, it looked rather homely. It was also very isolated, which was a bonus in her book.

A sunbathing chair rested at the front of the structure, along with a handful of indiscernible magazines scattered around it. Before Videl could inspect them, she was halted in her tracks by a weathered voice coming from behind her. "Can I help you?"

Surprised, the girl turned to the source of the voice, and was greeted by the unusual sight of a large sea turtle waddling out of the ocean. She raised an eyebrow. "Umm… hi? I was just looking for Muten Roshi. Have you seen him around?"

The turtle looked her up and down for a second until its eyes lit up in recognition. "Oh, that makes sense! Sorry, it's been a long time since we've had someone like you come for a visit. Please wait here, I'll go get the master."

Confused, Videl blinked in affirmation and watched the animal enter the house. She tapped her foot on the grass, puzzled by the bizarre encounter. What did it mean by 'someone like her'? She narrowed her eyes. Something was off about this place. Before she could investigate, the door to the house swung open and out leapt an old man in an ugly lavender suit. "Ta-da!"

Videl stared dumbfounded at the strange figure waggling his eyebrows in her direction, an unabashed grin spread across his face. He looked to be short, only slightly taller than her, and was completely bald. He had a thick white fu manchu moustache and beard, while round black sunglasses covered his eyes. However, the most distinctive feature on his person was the giant pink turtle shell strapped to his back.

Was this the fabled martial arts legend, Muten Roshi?

Whoever he was, his grin slowly dipped as he and Videl engaged in an impromptu staring contest. Seeing as that was getting them nowhere, she was the first to break the silence. "So, you're Muten Roshi then?"

At that the man's grin returned full force. "The one and only! It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, young lady. Now, my good friend Turtle told me you were looking for me?"

Videl nodded, her lips quirking upwards. "That's right." Before she could elaborate, Roshi seemed to vanish from his spot on the porch and reappear at her side, fixing her with what she assumed was his most charming smile, while holding his arm out invitingly. _'F-fast!'_

"Well, shall we?" he asked giddily.

Videl blinked. "Shall we what?"

Roshi seemed surprised at the answer, but maintained his cheerful disposition. "You know… go for a walk," he explained, emphasising the last word of that sentence while winking suggestively behind his sunglasses. A small trail of blood leaked from his nostril, causing Videl to recoil in disgust.

"W-what the hell!? What in the world gave you that idea?" she screeched at the man, her face reddening in a mixture of anger and embarrassment. "What kind of girl do you take me for!?"

Roshi frowned and scratched his chin, then turned towards his house. "Hey Turtle, you lied to me! She's not here for _that_!"

Said sea creature poked his head out from behind the doorway. "How was I supposed to know?" he stammered. "The only reason a woman would ever come to see you is to do… _that_!"

"Hey, I resent than! You're giving me way too little credit!" Roshi shot back.

"Do _WHAT_!? What are you two talking about?" Videl roared with such intensity that Turtle scurried back into the house while Roshi visibly recoiled.

"Ehehe, don't worry about it, it's not important," he mumbled nervously, wiping off the sweat glistening on his forehead. "Moving on… what are you here for?"

The crime fighter exhaled deeply and faced the old martial artist with a serious visage. "My name is Videl. I'm a friend of Gohan's from school. I came to see you because I had a few questions… about the Cell Games."

As if a switch had been flipped, all the nervousness seemed to evaporate from Roshi, his face adopting a grim expression. "I see. Please follow me inside, and I'll do my best to answer your questions."

Videl did as she was asked and fell in step behind Roshi, only for him to quicken his pace and dash into the house. When she finally reached the front door, she saw Roshi suspiciously patting a red floor sofa. He then turned to face her, smiling slightly. "Take a seat, I'll be with you shortly"

With Roshi departing through a doorway at the back and up some stairs, Videl took off her boots and stepped into what appeared to be the living room. Matching the homely exterior, the interior of Kame House made for a very cosy ambience. Wooden floorboards covered the ground, giving the place a more traditional feel, while the pink walls gave the room a sense of warmth. In the centre of the room, beneath the cornered red floor sofa, sat a white rug, on top of which rested a low, rectangular black coffee table.

The sofa faced the right side of the room, which housed a large TV that was situated on an entertainment stand, along with a VCR player and several video tapes. Spanning the entirety of the left side of the room was a kitchen which consisted of a stove, microwave, sink, fridge and benchtop. There was also a walk-in closet on the side of the room opposite the entrance, positioned between two doors, the right of which she'd soon Roshi walk through earlier.

All in all, Videl was surprised at just how much stuff could fit in such a small space. She walked towards the sofa and was about to sit down, but stopped when she spotted something sticking out from among the cushions. Curious, she pulled it out, only to immediately drop it when she saw that it was a magazine titled 'Pervert's Digest', with a picture of a naked woman posing erotically on the cover.

Her cheeks burning scarlet, Videl scrambled to grab the magazine so she could put it back where she found it, but in her haste she accidentally flipped it open… only to encounter resistance in the form of pages being stuck together.

As soon as she put two and two together, Videl's face turned ashen, and she had to resist the urge to gag. Digging deep into her detective training, the crime fighter steeled her features, then shut the accursed magazine and shoved it back between the cushions. Once it was completely hidden from view, she sat down on the sofa and tried to calm herself down lest she do something rash, like try and throttle Muten Roshi. She still needed answers from the old pervert. Cleaning her tainted soul could wait until later.

Thankfully, Videl didn't have to wait too long for the aged martial artist to come back down the stairs, flanked by Turtle. He had swapped out his ghastly lavender suit for the more casual attire of beige shorts and a white singlet. Videl watched him out of the corner of her twitching eye as he walked to the fridge and pulled out a can of beer. "Would you like a drink?" he asked, holding out the beverage.

"No thanks, I'm too young to drink alcohol," she replied curtly.

"How about some water? Juice? Soda?" he offered.

"I'm good."

Roshi and Turtle shared a look before the former shrugged. "Suit yourself." He cracked open his beer and took a seat opposite Videl on the sofa while his animal companion left the house. "What interest do you have in the Cell Games," he enquired, taking a sip of his drink.

Videl didn't have to think long for an answer, as she had already plotted out what she wanted to say on the flight here. "Gohan's been training me to use ki," she explained, to which Roshi's eyes widened and he started choking, some beer going down the wrong pipe. She waited patiently for him to compose himself.

The old man coughed a few times and beat his chest, and when he was done gave Videl a sheepish grin. "Sorry about that. You just took me by surprise."

She raised a brow at that. "Oh? And why is that?"

Roshi chuckled good-naturedly. "I never saw Gohan as the type to take on a student. You must be really special to him."

Videl blushed at the praise, before the first part of that statement registered. "What do you mean you never saw him as the type?"

Roshi eyed her curiously. "You didn't know?"

She matched his gaze. "Know what?"

Roshi sighed, running a hand through his beard in the manner of a wisened sage. "Gohan's never liked fighting," he said, causing Videl's jaw to drop. "He's the exact opposite of his father in that regard. While fighting was usually the first thing on Goku's mind, Gohan always avoided it if he could."

Videl was stunned. Of all the things she expected to hear today, that was not one of them. She stared at the ground, trying to comprehend this revelation.

"I take it he never told you?" Roshi asked.

Videl shook her head. "I honestly had no idea. He never gave off that vibe. I mean, he was always shy and all, but I never knew he felt this way." She gave Roshi a serious look. "If he hates fighting so much, then why does he do it?"

The elderly martial artist gave the girl a sad smile. "Tell me, what have you seen Gohan do? What do you know about the scope of his powers?"

Videl paused, raising a finger to her chin in contemplation. "He can fly, move really fast, has super strength, and can shoot giant ki blasts. At least, that's everything that comes to mind."

Roshi nodded. "And what have you see him use these powers for?"

At that, Videl's eyes lit up. Roshi saw this and his smile widened imperceptibly. "So you've figured it out?"

This time it was her turn to nod. "He fights because he feels like he has to. He has all these incredible powers, and he wants to use them for good. He wants to help people."

"Exactly," Roshi confirmed. "Gohan's a gentle soul. He's always had immense potential because of his… genes, but being talented doesn't amount to much unless you put in the hard work to go with it. Gohan eventually realised that despite his dislike of fighting, he had to keep up his strength in case it was ever needed."

Videl smiled at that, feeling a new wave of admiration for the Son boy wash over her. As cheesy as it sounded, it was such a hero-like quality, and one she couldn't help but respect. It also spoke volumes about his character, and what a good person her was at heart. A feeling of longing welled up from within her, but she quashed it. Her job wasn't done yet.

"Thank you for telling me this," she told Roshi graciously. "It really puts things into perspective. But… going back to what I said before, Gohan is kinda the reason I'm interested in the Cell Games." There was a strange glimmer in the old man's eyes at that admission, but Videl dismissed it. "Ever since that awful day, I've been raised to believe that all the stuff you can do with ki is just a trick. But now that I know better, it makes me doubt whether…" She swallowed thickly. "It makes me doubt whether Mr Satan actually beat Cell like he claims."

Roshi stroked his beard ponderingly as a few moments of silence passed between the pair. Eventually, he spoke up. "People can be quick to dismiss that which they don't understand… or what they fear. You are correct; ki is not a trick. It's something that lies within all of us, and it requires intense training to be able to control, and manifest externally." He paused. "But you already knew that."

Videl nodded her answer to the unspoken question. "I saw a picture of the mysterious group of fighters from the Cell Games recently, and three of them were wearing Turtle School gis, including one of the golden warriors." The elderly martial artist's widened. "I quickly surmised that they were your students, which leads me to believe that you know how the Cell Games really ended."

Roshi stared at Videl blankly, his sunglasses helping to give him a rather impressive poker face. This went on for a few seconds, with the girl feeling slightly uncomfortable under the trained gaze of the master martial artist. Just as she was about to say something else, Roshi started laughing, much to her bewilderment.

Once he had managed to compose himself, he gave Videl a warm smile. "You know, even though it should've been obvious, you're the first one to actually connect the dots. I'm impressed."

Despite herself, Videl smirked. "Pleased to hear it."

Roshi chuckled and took another sip of his beer. "Since you figured out that much already, there's no point denying it. Yes, those were my students at the Cell Games."

Feeling a brief bout of euphoria at having her suspicions confirmed, Videl had to resist the urge to fist pump. "Including the golden-haired man?" she asked.

"Yes, him too," Roshi admitted, albeit somewhat uneasily.

The crime fighter grinned, her heart starting to race. "So then you must know who really killed Cell?"

Roshi paused momentarily and went to open his mouth, but closed it. He then tilted his head curiously. "You said your name was Videl, right?" he questioned, his tone curious.

Said girl felt her heart sink, and her smile vanished in an instant. "That's right…"

Roshi twirled his moustache. "Come to think of it, you look somewhat familiar. Almost like I've seen you on TV." Videl felt her mouth suddenly go dry, and refrained from saying anything. Even then, she couldn't stop a bead of sweat from trailing down her forehead. Roshi's eyes lit up. "Ahh, that's right! You were at some of Mr Satan's press conferences! I've even seen a few news stories about you fighting crime! You're Mr Satan's daughter!"

Videl slammed a palm against her forehead and gritted her teeth in frustration. Not for the first time – and probably not for the last – she found herself cursing her father's love of the limelight. She could count on one hand the number of people who didn't look at her differently when they found out who her father was. Just how would Muten Roshi react?

Whatever Videl was expecting, it certainly wasn't for the elderly martial artist to guffaw boisterously. She opened her eyes and stared at the man, perplexed by his outburst. Eventually he stopped, and wiped a stray tear from his eye. "I'm sorry, it's just… wow, talk about irony." At the sudden narrowing of her eyes, Roshi raised his hands in a placating manner. "Don't worry, I didn't mean anything bad by that."

Videl crossed her arms and glared at the old pervert, much of her prior nervousness forgotten. "What did you mean then? That was a pretty extreme reaction."

Roshi chuckled lightly and waved off her question. "It's not a big deal. Now, where were we?"

Videl's glare morphed into a scowl. He'd just deflected her question with another question. An amateur tactic. She'd let it slide this time though, as she had more pressing matters to focus on. "Who really killed Cell? It… it wasn't my dad, was it?

Roshi's expression turned sombre and he took another drink from his beer can. He said nothing, but his silence was all the answer Videl needed. Tears pricked at the edges of her eyes, but she wiped them away with the back of her hand. She wouldn't cry over this. She'd already cried enough from other people's bullshit, and she was done shedding tears for their sake.

She forced a wry smile to her lips as her body shuddered in yet another attempt to hold back the waterworks. "You know, I really sh-shouldn't be surprised," she said, more to herself than Roshi. "I think a part of me always knew, e-e-ever since I accessed my k-ki for the first time. Here I was, doing all these wondrous, amazing, u-un-unbelievable things that my dad always claimed were tr-tricks. I should've realised it then, but I don't think my m-mind was ready to accept it… so I subconsciously forgot about it."

She breathed in through the nose and out through the mouth, trying to reign in her emotions. When she had calmed down sufficiently, she looked over at Roshi and saw he was giving her all the time she needed. She was grateful. The man was still a pervert of the highest degree, but at least he was a considerate pervert.

"It was only two days ago that I was reminded of it, and I think by that point I was ready to come to terms with the truth," she continued, her tone now a lot steadier. "I just needed confirmation. And now I have it. So, thank you."

Roshi bowed his head sadly. "I'm sorry you had to find out this way. I can't imagine how hard it must be for you."

Videl shook her head. "I'll get over it. Heck, I think the past two days have been spent trying to get over it on a subconscious level." She sighed. "I still love my dad. I'll never stop loving him, but I can't forgive him. Not yet. I need to know why he lied to the world… why he lied to me, for seven damn years."

Roshi nodded. "That's perfectly understandable. And I hope you find the answers you're looking for."

Videl raised an amused eyebrow in his direction. "We're not done yet, you know."

Roshi let out a nervous chuckle. "No, of course not. I was hoping you'd forgotten about that."

There was a quirk of Videl's lip. "You underestimated me." Roshi said nothing, choosing instead to take a sip of beer. The crime fighter smirked. "It was one of the golden warriors, wasn't it?"

To her utter shock, Roshi did a spit take, and it was only her highly-honed reflexes that allowed her to avoid being drenched in alcohol. As the old man was sputtering and coughing, Videl took a seat on a dry part of the sofa and waited for him to gather his bearings.

"Wh-what makes you say that?" he stammered through heavy breaths.

Videl stroked her chin and gained a contemplative gleam in her eye. "From what I can remember of the Cell Games, it was the two golden warriors who put up the best fight against Cell; the older one first, and then the younger one. Cell himself seemed to be the most interested in them out of all the fighters who showed up. Plus, the footage inexplicably cut out during the younger one's fight. That can't have been a coincidence."

"You're frighteningly perceptive," Roshi muttered, using a napkin to wipe beer off his face. "You'd make a damn good detective."

"I get that a lot," Videl admitted casually, although inwardly she was pleased at the compliment. "So, who are the golden warriors? And which of them did the deed? Also, how do they turn their hair gold, like I saw those other two fighters do?"

With his face now dry, Roshi put down his napkin and gave the girl a look so serious that she was taken aback by its severity. "Videl, I promised to answer your questions as best I could, but there are some things I simply cannot answer." She went to respond, but was silenced by a hand from Roshi. "There are things I can't say because they're not my questions to answer. I'm sorry."

Videl was crestfallen by the elder's response. She'd come so far, and found out so much, but the most important question remained unanswered. "But why?" she asked dejectedly, before a surge of long-withheld anger racked her body. "Why would the person who saved the world from Cell hide like a coward and let someone else take the credit? Why would he let the whole world believe a goddamn lie for seven years? Why would he be afraid to show his face instead of showing the world they had a hero – a guardian angel protecting them? Why!?"

At this point she had clenched her fist hard enough to draw blood. Unlike moments earlier with the tears, rage was an emotion Videl didn't hesitate to suppress. It was as if everything that had been pissing her off the past few days had been coalescing into a ball of unbridled fury, waiting for the perfect moment to explode. And if she were to be honest with herself, it was pretty damn cathartic.

Roshi watched the infuriated teenager calmly as her body shook, believing it best to let her simmer down from her outburst on her own terms. She was thankful for his silence, for she was certain that the slightest bit of interference would make her snap completely. As things were, she was still able to maintain a modicum of restraint.

After about a minute of this, Videl's breathing steadied, and her fist unclenched. She exhaled deeply, then turned towards Roshi, desperation glimmering in her cerulean orbs. "Why?" she breathed out faintly.

Roshi stroked his beard, pondering his answer. "The person who saved the world didn't want the credit for it," he said eventually, shocking the girl. "He didn't want the plaudits, fame or money that would've come with it. Just the knowledge that he saved the world was enough for him; he was content living his life peacefully away from the spotlight, training hard in case the world ever came under threat again. That's all I'm going to say on the matter. I'm sorry."

Videl leaned back against the sofa, processing what she'd just heard. Honestly, it was a foreign concept to her: someone doing a deed so great and not wanting to be recognised for it. It was the complete antithesis of her father. Even though she was still mad at this person for hiding the truth these years, she couldn't help but find such humbleness admirable. It actually reminded her a little of Gohan. Speaking of which… "Does the person who beat Cell have any connection to the Son family?" she asked firmly.

Roshi merely chuckled in response. "I already told you, didn't I? I'm not going to say any more on the matter."

Videl frowned. She heard him the first time, but she wasn't prepared to take no for an answer. Not after she'd already come this far. Her eyes narrowed at the elderly martial artist, who bore an infuriatingly nonchalant smile as he matched her gaze. Oh, how she wanted to wipe that smug look off his face. Her eyes then widened, a sudden though coming to mind. _'Yes… that could work.'_ She just had to trust that Sharpner and Erasa could keep Gohan busy. It was a risk, but it was one she had to take.

"Fight me," Videl demanded.

Roshi raised an eyebrow behind his sunglasses. "Pardon?"

The girl shot up from the sofa and pointed a finger at the man. "I challenge you to a fight. If you win, I'll leave. But if I win, you'll tell me what I want to know."

Roshi tilted his head, seemingly startled by the request. But then, a moment later, he nodded. "Deal."

Videl was taken aback by the swiftness of his reply. There wasn't an ounce of hesitation, which rubbed her the wrong way. "Are you looking down on me?"

"No, my dear," Roshi scoffed. "On the contrary, I'm amazed at how strong you already are. But even then… our levels are too far apart?"

"And you can tell that just by looking at me?"

"I can."

Videl grit her teeth. Just conversing with Roshi was making her cycle through a veritable whirlwind of emotions, the current one being annoyance. "Talk is cheap," she growled. "Let's see you put your money where your mouth is."

"Gladly," Roshi remarked, standing up and leading her to the door. "I must say, I'm almost looking forward to this. It's been a long time since I really got to let loose."

Videl said nothing as she put on her boots and positioned herself on the grass outside Kame House, fixing her opponent with a fierce glare. However, much to her bafflement, she found him looking her up and down, his eyes hidden behind those black sunglasses of his. Given what she knew of Roshi's more peculiar habits, this made her feel rather uneasy. "Wh-what are you doing?" she stammered, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Hmm, that won't do. That won't do at all," Roshi mumbled to himself. As if having sensed Videl's ever growing frustration, he smiled at the girl. "I was just thinking; your current outfit isn't really suited for fighting."

Videl looked down at her spandex shorts and oversized white shirt, confused. "But this is what I usually wear when fighting crime."

"Ahh, but being in a martial arts fight is much different to beating up some thugs on the street," the bearded man remarked sagely. "For martial arts, you need an outfit which is comfortable, but flexible enough to allow you the optimal range of movement. I happen to have just the thing!"

Videl eyed him suspiciously. It was a nice enough offer, but it almost sounded too good to be true, and she didn't exactly trust the old pervert. "You're not pulling my leg, are you?"

"Of course not!" Roshi remarked boisterously. "In fact, two of my best students, Goku and Krillin, wore this training outfit while studying under me."

Videl perked up at that. If this was something Goku wore too, she saw no harm in it. "Alright then. I'll humour you," she told the man, who lit up like a light at the answer. How odd.

"Excellent!" he giggled. "Just wait right there! I'll be back in a jiffy!"

Videl watched perplexed as Roshi darted into the house at a speed she couldn't comprehend. She then shrugged, deciding to stretch while she waited for him to return. All the while, there was an ill sense of foreboding she couldn't quite shake.

The crime fighter only had to wait a few minutes before Roshi came running out of the house, a black box under his arm and an enormous grin on his face that immediately put her on guard. "Here you go!" he exclaimed, offering her the box with gusto.

Videl took the box with a hint of trepidation, and hesitated for a moment before opening it. Upon seeing what was inside, her blood froze. Almost robotically, she pulled out the piece of clothing and held it out in front of her, her fingers trembling as they gripped the thin fabric.

The 'training outfit' Muten Roshi had given her was a low cut black leotard with pink frills around the edges and as a strap. The obscene garment was designed so that it would expose a tremendous amount of skin, leaving very little to the imagination. A quick glance at the box showed that there was an accompanying set of black stockings, also with pink frills near the top.

Videl craned her head towards Roshi, noticing that he had a nosebleed and was mumbling something incomprehensible to himself. "This is the what Son Goku wore while training under you?" she enquired, her tone silent and serious.

"Sure did!"

Videl stared at the man blankly. "This is lingerie."

Roshi waved her off. "Nonsense – it's a valuable training tool! Trust me, I've tested it myself!"

Videl blinked. "I see." Then, without warning, she scrunched the leotard into a ball and hurled it at the ground. Before Roshi could react, she threw a ki blast at the offensive piece of clothing and vaporised it.

"Noooooo!" the elder martial artist bellowed, sinking to his knees and grovelling at the spot of charred grass. "That was the only one I had left!" While he was whimpering over the destroyed lingerie, Videl launched another ki blast and the box with the stockings, sending it too to the next dimension. When Roshi realised this, he let out another anguished cry.

"Is this all a joke to you?" Videl seethed.

Roshi muttered a silent prayer for the deceased article of clothing and rose to his feet, a frown across his features. "On the contrary, young lady, I take my martial arts very seriously," he stated, his voice even.

"Then prove it," Videl spat venomously, leaping back and assuming her standard fighting pose. She tilted her body to the left, bent her knees, and sunk her spread legs into a horse stance. She clenched her fists, and faced her right hand towards the front while bending her elbow. Meanwhile, her left fist was pulled back past her ribs. "No more games."

"As you wish," Roshi said calmly, clasping his hands behind his back and standing ramrod straight.

Videl furrowed her brows as a bead of sweat rolled down her temple. Although her opponent appeared to be standing casually, he exuded an aura that was anything but; as though he was a predator and she was his prey. In that instant, Videl came to comprehend the magnitude of what she'd done, and who exactly stood before her.

This was Muten Roshi, a martial arts master with centuries of experience under his belt. Once widely regarded as the strongest man in the world, the former Tenkaichi Budokai winner had trained multiple world class fighters over the course of his illustrious career, some of whom had gone on to defend the Earth from a threat capable of wiping out all life on that planet.

Who was she in comparison to this man? A small, frail high school girl; the daughter of a fraud who had deceived the world for seven years, and a pupil to a boy of the same age whose strength was several stratospheres above hers. Compared to the real fighters in the world, she was an ant who could never hope to reach their level.

No, that wasn't right.

Calming her mind enough to think clearly for a moment, Videl concluded that she was being silly.

Son Gohan, one of the strongest people she knew, told her she wasn't weak and praised her for being a quick learner. Muten Roshi, the legendary martial arts master, was amazed at how strong she was just by looking at her.

She wasn't a small, frail high school girl; she was a detective in training and a crime fighter, one brave enough to put her life on the line on a consistent basis despite her young age, and had already saved countless lives by doing so. She was in a position to have everything handed to her on a silver platter because of her parentage, but she chose to get by on her own merits.

She was Videl Satan, and she was strong.

One she came to her senses, the immense amount of pressure she was feeling lifted off her like a cloak, and she could've sworn there was a twitch at the edge of Roshi's lips. Wiping the rivulets of sweat off her forehead, she glared at the man who was her opponent.

Yes, he was a master martial artist in his own right, but he was old and out of shape. Conversely, she was trained by one of the strongest people in the world, and had the power of youth on her side. She had already proven her worth as a fighter by fending off an attempt on her life by a trained assassin in the middle of the night. A casual spar couldn't begin to compare to such an ordeal.

She knew that Gohan was significantly stronger than her – that much was certain. But Muten Roshi wasn't Gohan. From what her limited knowledge of ki sensing told her, Roshi didn't even come close to Gohan's vast reserves. Maybe… just maybe, she had a chance to beat him. With that thought in mind, the crime fighter smirked. _'You're going down, you dirty old geezer.'_

Riding high on a wave of self-confidence, Videl let loose a mighty kiai and rushed at Roshi, peppering him with a barrage of quick punches and kicks once she got within striking range. However, each time she came close to hitting her opponent, she felt a good amount of resistance that prevented her making contact with her target. She would equate it to the feeling of striking a punching bag that didn't want to budge.

Frowning, Videl leapt back to put some distance between herself and her opponent. _'Did he manage to block all that without me reading his movements?'_ Seeing Roshi standing in the exact same way he was at the beginning of the fight annoyed her, but she knew she couldn't let it get to her.

Deciding to take a different approach, Videl rushed at Roshi once more, only this time she let loose several rapid fire ki blasts in the direction of his head. Once she'd done this, she dropped to the ground and flew in with a sliding tackle, aiming to ram her feet into his shin. From this low position, she could see the elder martial artist bob and weave his head at a blinding speed to dodge her ki blasts, then do a simple mid-air pirouette about a metre off the ground to avoid her tackle. With remarkable agility for a man his age, Roshi finished his spin by landing gently on the grass, his arms never having moved.

Despite being stunned by the effectiveness of her opponent's manoeuvre, Videl had enough composure to kip up back to her feet. She then circled the old man warily, realising she may have been a tad overconfident at the start of the fight. She took a deep breath. Rushing in again would be futile; she had to somehow catch him off guard, because right now he was predicting all her movements. She wasn't being dynamic enough… which meant she had to change her style.

Videl ran at Roshi and dove towards the ground, shifting her body into the shape of a ball and rolling forward. Just before reaching her target, she disengaged from the roll and used its momentum to launch herself forward with her right fist outstretched. "Rolling Satan Punch!"

This time, Videl paid close attention to the movement of Roshi's arms, and grinned inwardly when she saw the twitch of his shoulder. She was banking on him trying to actively defend instead of dodging, just like with her initial assault, and he delivered.

With a quick burst of ki, the crime fighter floated towards the right, her punch just narrowly missing the wise old master. However, this was all intentional, as she quickly halted her momentum, whipped her body around, and latched her arms around Roshi's back, lifting him up for a surprise suplex.

Before she could slam his head onto the hard grass, she felt Roshi shuffle slightly in her grip, and free himself just enough to be able to backflip on his own accord, landing directly behind her.

With her eyes wide, Videl leapt forward, anticipating an attack from the rear. When nothing of the sort came, she turned her head towards Roshi and scowled. "Why are you just defending? Why aren't you fighting back?"

Roshi's lip quirked in an oh-so infuriating manner. "You haven't given me a reason to yet."

Videl seethed, feeling a boiling rage bubbling up from within, but she supressed it. Gohan had told her during training that some fighters had the potential to become stronger the angrier they became, but he doubted she was one of them. He had outright admitted that her technique became sloppy and easy to read, and discouraged her from getting angry during battle. Unfortunately for the crime fighter, that was easier said than done.

"Oh yeah?" she growled at Roshi. "Well then, try this one on for size!"

Videl cupped her hands at her waist and started chanting the infamous words made notorious by the very man standing in front of her. "Kaaa mee, haaa meee…" A small ball of ki formed between her palms, which she then thrust outwards. "HAAA!"

The moment she sent forth the cylindrical beam of energy, which was about the diameter of Roshi's head, she disengaged the flow of ki from her hand. Panting audibly, she formed a baseball-like projectile in her hands – the very same attack she'd used to gain the upper hand on Kage – and launched it at her opponent.

She wasn't expecting her Kamehameha to work in the first place, intending for it to be more of a diversionary tactic than anything; she was nowhere near prolific enough with the attack to make it a weapon of mass destruction like Gohan could… yet. However, that didn't stop her from being stunned speechless at Roshi's method of neutralising the Kamehameha, which was to bellow out a spirited kiai that clashed against the beam like an invisible wall, dissipating it with ease. He followed that up by backhanding her second projectile into the sky.

The old man let out a mirthful chuckle. "I can certainly say I didn't see that coming… but you're 50 years too early to be using that technique against me."

Videl instantly deflated at that remark, and it took all her willpower to not sink to her knees in despair. No matter what she tried against Muten Roshi, it ultimately amounted to nothing. Straightforward assaults were easily predicted, unorthodox manoeuvres were hastily dismissed, and surprise attacks were wholly ineffective. Nothing she had attempted made Roshi budge even an inch, and she had nothing left in her arsenal to try… but she wouldn't quit just yet. She couldn't quit just yet.

With a determined sparkle in her cerulean eyes, Videl forced out as much ki as she could, forming a flickering aura around her petite figure, and flew at Roshi in one last hurrah. Like before, she lashed out with a vicious flurry of close quarter strikes, all of which were blocked by an unseen force. However, unlike the last time she had tried this, there was less resistance.

Her confidence slightly bolstered, Videl quickened the speed of her blows, maintaining a steady rhythm that she wanted Roshi to take note of. This went on for a few moments, her fatigue slowly building, until she felt enough time had passed.

Amid her barrage, the crime fighter threw out a right-handed punch that was a bit more powerful than normal. The moment she felt the tiniest hint of resistance, she imbued a sizeable amount of ki into her fist and ploughed through the barrier. "Hiyaa!" she roared, accentuating the blow with a kiai of her own.

This time, the resistance she was feeling withered under the weight of her punch, but refused to crumble completely. There was a brief lull in the battle, during which Videl saw that Roshi had his left hand up, her fist planted firmly against his palm. There was a skid mark entrenched on the grass beneath them, indicating that she had managed to budge Roshi, even if just a metre.

Basking in a brief bout of elation, Videl pulled back her left hand and attempted the same punch, but was met with a different kind of resistance this time; Roshi had hopped into the air with incomprehensible speed and slammed the heel of his right foot into the back of her hand. Instantly, Videl felt herself get pulled to the ground, but just before she could acquaint her face with the grass, Roshi lashed out a quick snap kick with his opposite leg, catching her on the underside of the chin with the ball of his foot and sending her flying backwards.

Videl's back crashed onto the hard ground, and the girl saw stars. She rested in that position for a few seconds, wheezing rapidly. The sheer impact of such a simple kick was so great it rattled her brain, giving a further reminder of just how outmatched she was… but she wasn't finished yet. She still had some fight left in her.

Gritting her teeth, Videl hobbled to her feet and sent Roshi her most venomous glare. Meanwhile, the old martial artist regarded her with a curious gaze. "Impressive. Most impressive," he admitted sagely. "Gohan has taught you well. You actually caught me off guard."

 _'But it still wasn't enough,_ ' she added mentally. Heaving out a laboured breath, the crime fighter took to the skies and began circling the grounded Roshi from above, peppering him with a barrage of tiny ki blasts.

In response, the elderly martial artist thrust his hands out with a speed and ferocity reminiscent of a gatling gun, snatching each individual ball of energy cleanly out of the air. When Videl ran out of ki and inadvertently let up on her assault, Roshi shoved his hands forward and expelled all the ki he had gathered, pelting the airborne female with her very own attack.

Having never experienced such an attack before, an astonished Videl instinctively raised her hands in front of her face, but in doing so left her body to bear the brunt of the energy barrage. The teenage girl cried out in pain and plummeted to the ground, landing on her backside with a loud yelp.

"H-h-have you had enough?"

Seething from the pain, Videl observed Roshi through gritted teeth. _'Where the hell did that stutter come from?'_ Grunting, she slowly rose to her feet and rubbed her sore posterior. "I ca-can keep going," she ground out.

After hearing that, Roshi grinned lecherously in her direction as a bit of blood dripped from his nostril, making the girl step back uneasily. Before he could enquire as to the reason behind his change in demeanour, she felt the gentle ocean breeze brush past her stomach. Her eyes widened. _'Hang on a minute…'_

Mortified, Videl tilted her head downwards, only to be greeted by the sight of a black sports bra that should've been hidden. It seemed that the ki blast barrage Roshi threw in her direction had disintegrated the entire front part of her shirt, leaving her torso exposed to the elements. The girl cringed. That was the last thing she needed.

Videl shakily dropped into her stance. She knew she had nothing left in the tank. She knew the smart thing to do was forfeit. Roshi had demolished her without breaking a sweat. And yet, despite all that, she just couldn't bring herself to do it. It went against her very nature as a martial artist to quit. _'Curse my damnable pride.'_

With that thought in mind, the crime fighter charged Roshi one last time, her steps laboured and heavy. As she drew closer to her opponent, she could see his hands twitching erratically, faint beads of perspiration trailing down his forehead. Once she reached him, she unloaded a number of sluggish strikes in his direction, but each one was nimbly dodged.

Videl found this somewhat surprising, as Roshi had opted to deflect or parry her punches and kicks earlier in the fight. She wondered whether it had something to with why his arms were twitching, but quickly cast that thought aside. Her arms and legs felt like lead, and were screaming at her to stop – but she persisted.

As though sensing her inner turmoil, Roshi sighed and thrust his palm out, creating a gust of wind that blew Videl backwards. The girl crashed onto the grass for the third time, only now she didn't have the strength to stand back up.

"You're lucky you mean a lot to Gohan," she heard Roshi mutter dejectedly. "Just rest there for a moment. I'll be back."

Videl was far too tired to process that comment, so she chose to just lean back and close her eyes, letting the wind wash over her prone form. She engaged in an impromptu meditation session, trying to steady her breathing. This went on for a few minutes, until she heard footsteps coming from Kame House.

Mustering enough strength to sit up, the exhausted crime fighter saw Roshi walking towards her, something black in his hands. "Here, you can take this. It belonged to Lunch, but she doesn't live here anymore, so I doubt she'll mind," he explained, handing over the object.

Videl was pleasantly surprised to see that it was a simple black shirt. She didn't know who this Lunch person was, but if Roshi actually had a woman living here at one point, then maybe he wasn't completely lecherous. "Thank you," she said quietly.

Roshi nodded and stepped back, eyeing her with an eager gaze. Videl quickly pieced together why, and narrowed her eyes at the man. Maybe she spoke too soon. "Turn around."

The old pervert whimpered, but nonetheless acquiesced her request. When she was certain he wasn't peeking, she tore off her tattered white shirt and put on the black one, noting with some satisfaction that it was a bit too large for her; just the way she liked it. She then rose to her feet with some struggle. "You can turn back now."

Roshi did just that, and fixed Videl with a warm smile. "You surprised me," he admitted. "I didn't expect you to put up that much of a fight. Your tenacity in particular is remarkable, but that can also prove to be your undoing. A true martial artist knows when to call it quits." He then rubbed his chin, and added as an afterthought, "You also need to work on not letting your temper get the best of you."

Videl scowled inwardly. She already knew that without another person telling her. "You destroyed me. I never stood a chance," she said, her tone glum.

"That may be so, but you have to remember; I've been at this a lot longer than you," Roshi began. "I can tell you haven't been training with ki all that long, and yet the progress you've made is outstanding. If you keep that up and remain committed to your training, I can easily see you becoming as strong, if not stronger than Krillin or Yamcha."

Videl couldn't help but blush at that remark. She recognised those names from the old Tenkaichi Budokai records, but had never actually seen them fight. Still, if Muten Roshi saw fit to compare her to the two of them, then it was high praise indeed. She bowed her head. "Thank you. I'll do my best."

Roshi grinned. "I have to say, it's nice to see someone so young being so dedicated to the martial arts. I wish some of my old students had that much drive… damn slackers." He cleared his throat. "Anyway, before you leave, I'd like to show you something."

Videl raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Roshi nodded. "I noticed during our fight that you're struggling to master the Kamehameha…" Videl's eyed shot open, and her heartbeat quickened. "Perhaps you'd like to see a live demonstration from the guy who created it?"

The crime fighter couldn't believe it. She was stunned. She'd come to Muten Roshi hoping to get answers about the Cell Games, and while she didn't find out exactly what she was searching for, getting to spar with the legendary martial artist was an invaluable experience. She never would've imagined that on top of all that, he would offer to show her his signature technique. Feeling a bit flustered, the girl scratched the back of her head. "I'd really appreciate that."

"Excellent! Now watch closely; I'm a bit out of practice!"

Videl quickly whipped out her phone and started recording. At Roshi's curious look, she smiled. "For future reference."

He stared at her a second longer before shrugging. "I've never heard of people learning new techniques by watching videos of them, but if that's all the rage these days, who am I to judge?"

Roshi's expression then turned serious, and he looked out over the ocean. He widened his legs and sunk into a strong horse stance while clenching his fists in front of him, the arms bent. He then tensed his arms and growled, and within seconds they had ballooned to a gargantuan size that would make a bodybuilder jealous. Roshi then shifted his arms up into a meditative pose and exhaled deeply, until his torso also swelled to immense proportions.

Videl's jaw was agape. She had no idea that humans were capable of transforming their entire body structure instantaneously. Roshi now looked to be at least a head taller, and his body was rippling with raw muscle. From what little she could sense, his ki had also shot up substantially. She gulped, realising that the Muten Roshi who had decimated her in their fight hadn't even been close to his best.

The master martial artist stretched out his left arm while pulling back his right one, and a pulsating aura of pure white ki sprang up to cloak his muscular frame. He shot his hands out to the sides before slowly bringing them together in front of his body, the palms cupped and facing forward. "Kaaa meee…" He then moved his cupped hands to his left hip. "Haaa meee…" A small ball of ki formed in his palms and grew until it was as large as his whole body. "HAAA!" he cried, finally thrusting his hands forward and sending an enormous cylinder of pure, unfiltered energy rocketing across the ocean.

Videl could do nothing but stare slack-jawed as Roshi's Kamehameha carved a trench into the water and parted the waves, before disappearing over the horizon. She was broken from her stupour when she heard Roshi grunt in exertion and turn back to normal. "Phew. I need to practice that one a bit more," he huffed.

"W-where did you send that thing?" she asked meekly, struggling to form words.

"Oh, don't you worry about that," he responded with a small chuckle. "There are several deserted islands in that direction that my friends often use for training. People never go there, and animals know to stay away. It'll probably destroy a mountain, but nothing more than that."

Videl breathed out a breath she didn't know she was holding. She then grinned giddily at Roshi. "That was incredible! Thank you so much for showing it to me!"

"The pleasure is all mine, Videl," the old man stated exuberantly. "I'm sorry I couldn't be more help on that… other matter, but I hope this makes up for it. I look forward to seeing your progress."

The girl chuckled. "As far as compensations go, it's definitely not the worst." She then bowed to the elder. "Thank you for your help."

"Thank you for coming to visit," he replied in earnest. "Feel free to swing by whenever you have the chance. Heck, bring Gohan along too. It gets awfully lonely here now that Krillin and his family have moved to the city."

Videl smiled and decapsulised her jetcopter. "I'll keep that in mind. See you later!"

Roshi waved goodbye to the crime fighter as she boarded her vehicle and took to the sky. Once Kame House disappeared from the rear-view mirror, she set the jetcopter to autopilot and leaned back into her seat, giving her exhausted body the rest it so desperately desired.

Meeting Muten Roshi was certainly a… unique experience, she had to admit. She despised his lecherous side with a passion, but other than that, he seemed like a pretty decent guy. Despite their encounter being relatively brief, she learnt a lot from him. She couldn't wait to get home, rest up, and then return to training tomorrow.

Videl's thoughts then turned sombre. She would eventually have to face her father, and she didn't have a clue what to say to the man. She still loved him dearly, but he had done something inexcusable, and she would need time – and a damn good explanation – if she were ever to forgive him. That aside, she also wanted to hear the golden warriors' side of the story, namely from the true vanquisher of Cell.

A serene smile graced Videl's features. Whoever that person was, she really wanted to meet him. The most plausible theory was that it was the golden-haired boy, as he'd been the last one to fight Cell before the footage cut out, but that theory itself was implausible because said boy was just that: a boy. Still, she had faith in her theory, and not just because the golden-haired boy was her first crush. If being around Son Gohan had taught her anything, it was to broaden her mind to all possibilities, no matter how unlikely they appeared to be.

The girl was broken from her thoughts by the vibrating of her phone. Curious as to who would be texting her, she opened it up and her eyes widened. "Wow. I can honestly say I didn't see that coming."

 _Hey Videl, it's Gohan. Sharpner and Erasa took me shopping after school and I finally got a phone! Isn't that neat? Anyway, Erasa told me you weren't feeling well and were going to take some time off school. I don't know what's going on, but I really hope you feel better soon. School just isn't the same without you. In the meantime, if you ever need to talk about anything, feel free to give me a call._

 _Kind regards  
Son Gohan_

Videl snorted into her palm as she read the message. "Gohan, you dork! It's a text message, not an email!" She read through the text a second time and grinned. It was a thoughtful gesture, and it warmed her heart to hear from the Son boy. _'School just isn't the same without me, eh? Well, life just isn't the same without you.'_

Suddenly, tomorrow couldn't come sooner.

* * *

 **AN: How the hell do my chapters keep ending up so much longer than I initially anticipated? I thought I'd be done with this one at around the 8000-word mark, yet it ended up being almost 12k words in the end. Oh well, I guess it gives you guys more stuff to read. Still, if you'd prefer shorter chapters, do let me know and I'll see what I can do.**

 **Anyway, that's a wrap for chapter 14. Please let me know what you thought, as I've been looking forward to writing Videl meeting Roshi for ages, ever since I first started writing this fic. Hopefully I did their encounter justice.**

 **As always, thank you so much to everyone who took the time out of their day to leave a review. While I'd like to think I become a better writer the more I write, your reviews help to let me know exactly what I'm doing well and what needs improving, and for that, I'm incredibly grateful. Also, thanks to all the people favouriting and following this fic. It warms my heart to know that so many people are reading my work, and motivates me to pump out chapters quicker.**

 **On that note, the next chapter will be a lot more Gohan-centric, and it's another one I've been looking forward to writing for a long time. The reason why may shock you...**

 **Until then!**

 **PS: Since I've been getting a few reviews about this, I'll address it here, as well as in the next chapter. Just because Roshi told Videl she could surpass Krillin and Yamcha DOES NOT mean that she actually will. The main reason he told her that was to motivate her, and give her a goal to aim for, like a good teacher would. Whether or not she actually does surpass them will take decades, and I don't currently plan for this fic to go past the Boo saga. All I'm going to ask is that if you've been on board with my power-scaling up until now, please have faith that I'll continue to handle it in a reasonable way.**


	15. Invasion

**Rising to the Challenge – The Legacy of Son Gohan**

 **Chapter 15 – Invasion**

It had been a weird week as far as Son Gohan was concerned, and that was the main thought pervading his mind as he walked into school on Friday morning. Most of that weirdness had to do with his friend and protégé, Videl Satan, who'd admittedly had a rough couple of days.

From what Gohan had gathered, the whole ordeal with Kage over the weekend had shaken her badly, and she was out of sorts on Monday. That led to her taking the day off school on Tuesday, which was understandable, but still a cause for concern. However, Erasa had eased his worries slightly by telling him that Videl wasn't feeling well and needed some time off, and as much as it pained him to hear about her suffering, he would respect her wishes.

Fortunately, her leave of absence had only lasted a single day, and she had shown up to school the following morning bright and cheery – and that was when the weirdness really began.

Bright and cheery weren't exactly how people who knew Videl would choose to describe her. While she could definitely display those traits on rare occasions around people she liked – of which the list was few – most of the time she was feisty, stubborn, sarcastic and easily irritable. She also had a mean glare that was famed around the halls of Orange Star High School for being utterly terrifying, and even had a set of urban legends attached to it.

Then there were the looks she gave Gohan when she thought he wasn't looking. It didn't matter if they were walking through the halls, eating lunch on the grass, or in the middle of class; Gohan could sense her gaze on him. However, unlike before when she suspected he was Saiyaman, he didn't feel a trace of hostility from the raven-haired girl. The one time he did catch her staring in class, their eyes met for a full minute before she smiled gently at him, tilted her head, and went back to her work. Gohan was beyond baffled by Videl's bizarre behaviour, and couldn't help but feel somewhat self-conscious.

"Hey Gohan!"

Said demi-Saiyan almost jumped out of his skin when he heard the voice of the object of his thoughts pop up beside him. "V-V-Videl, what are y-you doing here?" he stammered.

Videl greeted him with a smile as she fell in step beside him. "Walking to my locker to get my books out, silly. You know, the same thing we do every morning?" She narrowed her eyes at him in mock suspicion. "Did you wake up on the wrong side of bed this morning?"

"Oh, right. Sorry, you just startled me, that's all," he replied, chuckling nervously and scratching the back of his head.

Videl just laughed and gently punched him in the arm. "Oh Gohan, you're such a goof."

As the pair walked through the crowd of students cramming the hallway, Gohan's thoughts yet again turned to how strange the girl next to him was acting. Their casual conversations remained amicable, only now Videl was even friendlier towards him than before. She was even cracking silly little jokes here and there, which seemed way out of character. The only thing about Videl that hadn't changed this past week was her approach to training, and their sessions together remained as routine as ever.

Eventually Gohan and Videl split off as their lockers were quite far from one another, and she gave him a small wave in parting, which he returned. After he'd taken out his books for the day, he set off for class, but the sight of a familiar bob of blonde hair halted him in his tracks. Changing his direction, he walked towards Erasa and saw that she was speaking to two other girls he was unfamiliar with.

When Erasa saw him approaching she beamed in his direction. "Good morning, Gohan!"

"Morning," he replied cheerfully, causing Erasa's two friends to giggle. He frowned inwardly at that. He didn't think what he said was funny; he was just being polite.

As though sensing his confusion, Erasa smiled at the girls. "Anyway, I'll talk to you two later? I have to get to class now."

"Yeah, no worries," one of her friends replied. "Come on, Glue, let's go," she added, beckoning to her friend.

"Oh, right," the girl named Glue responded. "See you later, Erasa. Bye Gohan." She punctuated that sentence with a wink, and the Son boy blushed.

"Bye," he mumbled back, making the two girls to giggle once more as they departed. This time, Gohan did frown. Girls were weird.

Erasa simply laughed at the sight before adopting a more serious expression. "What's wrong, Gohan? You seem troubled."

That broke the boy from his musings. "That obvious, huh?" he said with a wry chuckle. "Well, I wouldn't say I'm troubled… just a bit confused."

"About Videl?" Gohan's eyes widened, to which the blonde smiled. "Yeah, it was kind of obvious. She hasn't been herself this week."

Gohan sighed. "I didn't pay it too much attention at first, and figured she would go back to being her usual self after a few days. But now it's the end of the week, and that hasn't happened." He rubbed his temples wearily. "Don't get me wrong, I'm overjoyed that she's back to being happy, but it's almost like she's… too happy, for lack of a better term, and I don't know what to make of it. Does that make sense?"

Erasa laughed. "I get where you're coming from, and I've known that girl for most of her life. Unfortunately, she hasn't told me anything. When I asked her what's up, she just shrugged me off and said everything was fine."

At that, Gohan's brow creased in worry. "I think something's up."

Erasa fixed her friend with a gentle smile and rubbed his arm soothingly. "I think you should go talk to her."

Gohan's lips pursed at that. "Why me?"

She chuckled and poked his chest. "Because I think you're the reason she's acting this way, mister."

Gohan balked at that remark and his jaw dropped. "Wh-what? What makes you say that?"

Erasa merely giggled at his reaction. "You're not the only one who's noticed the way she stares at you when you're not looking. Honestly, it's adorable… but you should know that she only ever stares that intensely at something or someone she's really curious about." Her eyes then narrowed and she encroached towards Gohan like a tiger, making him back up against a locker. "You're not hiding something else, are you, Gohan?"

"O-o-of course not," he stuttered, stunned by his friend's forwardness.

The girl then laughed and stepped back, giving Gohan some breathing room. "Sorry about that. I was just messing with you." She then grinned at him cheekily. "That didn't mean I wasn't being serious, though. I really do think you should talk to her."

Gohan scratched the back of his head and smiled nervously. "I guess you have a point. Besides, it's probably best to just get it over with."

"Good man!" Erasa chirped. "Now come on, let's get to class before the teacher yells as you for being late again. You don't want word getting out to Chi-Chi about her baby boy's tardiness, would you?"

Gohan gulped at the thought as his blonde friend grabbed his arm and dragged him to their destination.

* * *

The ringing of the recess bell often tended to be a welcome relief for most students, Gohan included as it meant he got to chow down. This time, however, the demi-Saiyan couldn't help but wish that it held off for just a few minutes more. He closed his eyes and sighed, resigning himself to his fate. As his peers packed up their stuff and made for the door, he walked towards Videl and poked her in the shoulder.

The girl looked at him and grinned. "What's up?"

Gohan scratched the back of his head and tried to calm his nerves. "Do you want to go have recess on the roof? Just the two of us?"

Videl's grin dipped and she stared at him for a few seconds, making the boy uneasy. She then blinked and gave him a smile. "Sure."

"Can I come?" Sharpner chimed in, poking his head next to the pair.

"No, you cannot," Erasa intervened, grabbing the muscular teenager by the ear and pulling him towards the door. "Let's leave our two superhero friends to discuss superhero stuff. Besides, I bought some new makeup and accessories I want to show you. I know how much you like my hair care products."

His face a bright crimson, Sharpner sputtered something incomprehensible as his fellow blonde dragged him through the door and out of sight.

Videl blinked at the sight before shrugging and turning to face Gohan. "Shall we?"

The demi-Saiyan nodded meekly in response and led his friend to the roof. Neither teenager said anything along the way, choosing to keep their thoughts private. Gohan wasn't sure about Videl, but to him the silence was stifling, and he unconsciously quickened his pace, wanting to feel the feel the fresh air of the outside as soon as possible.

Thankfully for him, the journey didn't take too long, and the dark-haired pair soon found themselves sitting near the edge of the roof, looking out towards the grey and gloomy Satan City. The wind blew briskly, making for a mildly chilly atmosphere.

Videl turned to Gohan with a soft smile. "Is there a reason you brought me up here, or did you just want some alone time with me?"

Gohan blushed vividly at the implication. "What? No! I mean yes! I mean-" He shook his head as the girl giggled at how flustered he was. He then exhaled deeply, and met her cerulean orbs with his onyx ones. "I wanted to ask if everything's alright. You've been acting a bit… unusual ever since you got back to school."

Videl's smile remained unperturbed, and she cast her gaze forward. "In my time off I realised just how thankful I am for the things in my life… how thankful I am to have the amazing friends that I do," she confessed quietly. "You, Erasa, even Sharpner… I don't know where I'd be without you guys."

Gohan's heart sank, and he couldn't stop his arm from reaching out and pulling Videl towards him. Maintaining his one-armed hug, he tilted his head to the side and rested his cheek against her silky raven hair. She stiffened a bit at the contact, but quickly accepted it, and used his shoulder as a pillow.

The demi-Saiyan couldn't even find it in himself to blush at the close proximity between them; all he wanted to do was hold her and refuse to let go. It made sense that after a life-threatening experience, she would be far more aware of everything she cherished in this world, and how close she came to losing it all. He'd certainly experienced that quite a few times over the course of his childhood, and it was one of his biggest motivations for keeping up his training. But even then, Gohan couldn't shake the feeling that there was something Videl wasn't telling him. He just didn't think this was the appropriate time to press it.

"You don't have to worry about me leaving you," he mumbled into her hair. "I'll be in your life for as long as you want me to."

He felt Videl shudder against him, and the sensation made his heart race. He loved the feel of her in his arms. It just felt… right.

"You know, the crime rate in Satan City has dropped by almost 80% since the Great Saiyaman showed up," she suddenly informed him, startling the boy. "Before you got here, me being called out to help the police multiple times in a day would be a common occurrence. Now, there are days when the police don't need my help at all. I don't think I ever got to thank you for that, so… thank you."

Gohan smiled, but his eyes hardened. "I can't stand the idea of innocent people getting hurt."

"I know," Videl said, snuggling up closer to the boy. "It's one of the things I admire most about you."

Gohan's heart skipped a beat at the compliment, and his cheeks turned the shade of a cherry. He'd been praised by people in the past, like Piccolo, his parents and even Vegeta, and it was something he took great pride in. But none of that came close to how wonderful it felt being praised by Videl.

"You have the heart of a true hero," the girl then added. "It makes me wonder whether you've had experience with it in the past. You're really good at saving people."

Gohan was rendered speechless at the remark, and his eyes widened. That came out of nowhere. Vivid memories flashed through his head, starting from when Piccolo sacrificed himself against Nappa, moving on to when he hesitated to fight Cell and let his friends get hurt, and ending when he almost let the power of the Ascended Super Saiyan transformation go to his head. Some hero he was. "Hardly," he scoffed. "I just watch a lot of Super Sentai."

Videl chuckled at the remark, and the sound of her laughter warmed his heart. Despite the depressing reminders of his past, he smiled and hugged her closer to him. In that moment, he felt like he could stay in this position forever.

The tranquillity of the scene was then broken by a thunderous rumbling reminiscent of an earthquake that lasted for almost 10 seconds.

So red was Gohan's face, that he wouldn't be surprised if steam rose from his cheeks. He closed his eyes and cringed.

"Gohan, I think you should let go of me and eat something. That scared the crap out of me," Videl commented calmly.

The demi-Saiyan got over his embarrassment and sighed. He knew she had a point, and he was indeed starving… but he didn't really want to let go of Videl right now. He sighed. _'Talk about a dilemma.'_

* * *

Unbeknownst to the hapless inhabitants of Earth, their planet was currently being orbited by a large domed spaceship.

A tall, lean and well-muscled figure stood regally upon the imposing spacecraft's observation deck, staring down at the vibrant planet with a wide smirk. He then turned around and his cold red eyes scanned over the six soldiers before him who would be his generals for the upcoming assault, taking particular note of the curved 'M' carved into their foreheads.

Three were his most loyal and trusted servants, and had been carrying out his orders dutifully for decades. The other three had only recently come into his employ after being found meandering through space in pursuit of a foolish endeavour. A quick and ruthless show of his power had put the trio in their place, and from then on they had sworn fealty to him.

With the press of a button, a holographic map of Earth materialised in the room, catching the attention of all its residents. "After a week of observing this planet, we have highlighted four areas of interest," the lead figure spoke, his commanding tone carrying an aura of unquestionable authority. A blinking red dot appeared on the map. "The first is Satan City, where the man widely considered to be the strongest person on the planet is said to reside."

An image then flashed above the blinking dot, showing a grinning man with a large afro and handlebar moustache, who was flashing a peace sign. "This ridiculous looking individual is dubbed Mr Satan, and is the so-called champion of Earth," the figure continued before grinning darkly. "Our army will lay waste to Satan City in order to draw out this man, after which we will detain and capture him. You three will assist me in this task," he added, pointing to his three most longstanding servants, who bowed obediently.

Three further dots blinked to life on the map. "According to our scanners, these three locations house individuals who possess high battle powers similar to the one found in Satan City. You three," he stated firmly, pointing to his newer servants, "will each travel to one of these locations, and subdue and capture the fighters who reside there." The beckoned servants bowed in kind.

"Once we exit this ship, our presence will no longer be cloaked by our employer's technology, so expect your enemy to be prepared for your arrival," the figure continued. "The average battle power on this planet is pitifully low, ranging from 5 to 10, so expect little resistance. If by some chance you encounter anyone with a battle power far beyond that, make sure to capture them. Is that understood?" he bellowed.

"Yes, Lord Cooler!" the six generals exclaimed in unison.

Cooler grinned evilly, his tail swishing violently behind him. "Excellent. Now go and make any final preparations you require. We will be landing shortly."

His servants promptly bowed and scurried out of the room, while Cooler poured himself a glass of wine and gazed out at the rotating Earth beneath his ship. His grin morphed into a vicious smirk.

"Freeza, you incompetent buffoon. It's only fitting that I be the one to clean up your mess and reclaim our family's honour." His purple fist clenched and unclenched, a dangerous aura sparking around it. "While my initial plans may not have come to fruition, it's not a big deal. I have managed to accrue a power far beyond anything your feeble mind could ever comprehend, and with it I will succeed where you failed."

* * *

The grating scribbling of pen on paper reverberated through the classroom, its weary students writing away at the essay Miss Vicious had forced upon them. Said teacher sat with her arms crossed on her chair at the front of the room, an ever-present scowl on her face while her hawklike eyes scanned over her pupils for any sign of misbehaviour.

Gohan looked up at the clock and sighed reservedly when he saw that there was still half an hour before the bell. Having to write an in-class essay on the internal politics of North City during the last period of the day was a dreadfully dreary experience, even for someone like him. He glanced at Videl out of the corner of his eye, and smiled when he saw her furiously jotting away at her paper, her tongue sticking out in concentration. She looked awfully cute like that.

Gohan then returned to his own work, and was halfway through a paragraph when a vile ki filled his senses. He gasped, and in his shock snapped his pen in half. _'N-no! It can't be! He's supposed to be dead!'_

Three pairs of concerned eyes shot towards the wide-eyed demi-Saiyan, startled by his uncharacteristic outburst.

"Gohan, what's wrong?" Erasa whispered from her spot beside him.

"The city's in grave danger!" he hissed through gritted teeth, causing his friends' eyes to bulge. "I need to go!"

"Gohan! Quiet at the back!" Miss Vicious yelled.

The Son boy winced at his teacher's tone and shakily raised his hand. Her eyes narrowed in his direction, but he ignored her glare. "Miss, may I please be excused? I really need to go to the bathroom."

As if it was possible, Miss Vicious' scowl deepened even further. "Not happening, young man. You had your chance to go at lunch. Might I remind you that you are still under test conditions? You'll have to wait until the end of class like everyone else."

Gohan clenched his fist under the table hard enough to draw blood, his heart racing in a panic he hadn't felt for seven years. "But Miss, it's urgent! I really need to go!"

"No!" the teacher shouted, their argument having caught the attention of the entire class. "You will wait until the end of class like everyone else! And if you speak up again, you'll be staying with me for after school detention! Now get back to work!"

Gohan ignored the stunned stares of his classmates and sunk dejectedly into his seat. He closed his eyes as sweat ran down his forehead, more and more ki signatures flooding his mind. He was about to disregard Miss Vicious' warnings and bolt out of class, when the furious beeping of Videl's wristwatch rang throughout the room.

"Chief, what's going on?"

"Videl, you have to come quick!" the chief screamed, the sheer terror in his voice almost tangible through the speaker. "The city's under attack by aliens! I repeat: the city's under attack by aliens!"

As though a bomb had gone off, the class erupted into chaos, with papers and pens sent flying, and students scrambling to either hide under their desks or run out of the room.

"Children, calm yourselves this instant!" Miss Vicious called out over the uproar. "You are to stay inside this room until the situation has been resolved! You are not to leave the classroom under any circumstances!"

Unfortunately for the bespectacled teacher, her orders went unheeded as her horrified pupils ran for the exit. Amid the bedlam, Videl grabbed Gohan's arm and yanked him out of his seat like a marionette.

"Please stay safe!" they heard Erasa call out as they rushed down the stairs and out the door, Videl forcing her way through the crowd of students like a human battering ram on meth.

As the dark-haired duo sprinted through the halls to get to the roof, the crime fighter paused briefly to smash her fist on the school's fire alarm, setting it off. "That should hopefully put the school on lockdown once the teachers figure out what's going on."

Gohan nodded gratefully, but realised they had wasted too much time. He grabbed Videl by the waist, ignoring her startled yelp, and used his super speed to appear on the roof within mere seconds. He then let go of the gasping girl, mumbled a silent apology her way, and rocketed towards where he felt the largest ki, materialising his Saiyaman outfit shortly after take-off.

However, the superhero had barely left the vicinity of the school district before he spotted a veritable army of people flying towards him, leaving a trail of destruction in their path. The moment he got a good look at their armour and the various species encompassing their ranks, he scowled ferociously behind his helmet. _'Why are Freeza's soldiers on Earth? And why are they attacking my school specifically? Those bastards!'_

With an enraged yell that shook the ground around him, a raging inferno of white ki sprang to life around Gohan. He could see the approaching army forcibly come to a stop as the scouters they were sporting exploded. The infuriated demi-Saiyan vanished from view and reappeared with his fist buried in a goon's sternum. He then vanished again, only to shatter another goon's skill with an elbow strike. The third time he attempted this manoeuvre, he split a goon in half with a sweeping kick.

Gohan repeated this process several more times, moving like a blur of red and green as he fatally disposed of numerous soldiers with devastating simplicity and precision. It had only taken the demi-Saiyan a handful of seconds to accomplish this feat, after which the remaining goons finally managed to get a look at the man who had singlehandedly eliminated a quarter of their group.

With frightened war cries, they took aim at Gohan and fired off a bevy of ki blasts from their arm cannons, only for the feeble attacks to disintegrate upon making contact with his invisible aura. In retaliation, the demi-Saiyan sent forth numerous miniature ki blasts their way, vaporising whoever they touched.

"G-G-Gohan, you just ki-killed all those people…" said a trembling voice from behind him.

Gohan cursed under his breath and turned to face Videl, who he only just realised had witnessed his overwhelming onslaught. He sped towards the girl and wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry you had to see that," he whispered soothingly, "but I had no choice. These aren't people; they're indoctrinated drones to a genocidal tyrant, and if I hadn't killed them they would've reached the school and slaughtered everyone inside. I hate doing it, but I don't have the time or luxury to take it easy. Their leader is millions of times more powerful than they are, and I'm the only one who can face him. If you don't want anything to do with this, then I'll completely understand. But if you want to lend a hand, I could really use someone doing crowd control. I'll make sure no one hurts you."

Videl broke free from his hug and rubbed her eyes with her forearm. Her bottom lip was still quivering, but her eyes held that same determined gleam he'd come to adore. She then gave the boy a shaky smile. "You can count on me."

Gohan smiled back. "Good. Now let's go."

With that the pair took to the skies, Videl trailing behind Gohan despite putting out as much ki as she could muster. As she struggled to even keep up, she could only stare slack-jawed as the caped superhero ruthlessly annihilated any unfortunate soldier he came across, all the while putting out the widespread fires left in their wake with simple kiai waves.

Videl gulped audibly, having never seen Gohan display such intense ferocity before, and the sight both terrified and excited her. She watched the Son boy barrel roll through the air to stop a flying car from squashing a group of frightened people huddling on the road, only to follow if up by literally backhanding the thrower of said vehicle into oblivion.

Son Gohan was like a monolithic force of nature that had suddenly been awakened from hibernation, and the crime fighter shuddered to think about how monstrous someone would have to be to invoke such wrath from the normally mild-mannered boy. Just how far could Gohan be pushed?

* * *

Far away from the havoc of Satan City, Shisami found himself flying though a forest on the western side of the continent, barrelling through the trees like a wrecking ball as he approached the tall spire in the distance. Once he reached the foot of the pillar, the red-skinned being quickly shifted his trajectory, and jetted towards the peak of the strange tower.

Shisami had only managed to ascend halfway before a green figure materialised in his path and buried a foot in his chest. The horned warrior cried out in pain as his breath left him, and the force of the stomp took him all the way back to the surface of the Earth, his rough collision with the hard dirt making a giant crater.

The green-skinned figure had never taken his foot off Shisami's chest, having used the momentum of his initial attack like a paperweight to propel himself towards the ground. The former Freeza soldier coughed out blood as he felt his ribs break from the impact. "Blasted N-Namekian…"

He mustered whatever ki he could and formed a ki blast in one hand, only to howl in agony when the Namekian wrapped an extending arm around the appendage and snapped it, making the energy fizzle harmlessly out of existence.

"I don't know who you are, or what you want with this planet, but I'll be damned if I let you sully this hallowed ground with your filth," the Namekian spoke coldly.

The last thing the gurgling Shisami saw before his world went dark was a clawed hand in front of his face, and an expanding yellow light that radiated a searing heat.

* * *

Tagoma was soaring through the sky above a lively city, well on course towards his destination, which he could faintly spot in the distance. The large domed building was by far the most interesting thing he'd seen in the bustling metropolis below, but the grey-skinned fighter paid that thought no heed. He had a job to do.

Unfortunately for Tagoma, his progress was halted when the crashed headfirst into what felt like an impenetrable wall. The lanky warrior screamed in pain as his nose broke on impact with the unknown object, upon which he narrowed his beady eyes and levelled a menacing glare. However, after seeing who it was, his jaw dropped. "Prince Vegeta!?"

The flame-shaped hair, prominent widow's peak and fierce scowl were the defining characteristics of the notorious and dreaded Saiyan prince, whose whereabouts had been unknown for over a decade. Despite having ditched the trademark armour of Freeza's forces for a sleeveless spandex jumpsuit, the identity of the man was unquestionable.

Vegeta scoffed. "While I'm flattered to be recognised by one of Freeza's mooks, I'm more curious as to what you're doing here. Since your master met his end on this very planet, I can only assume you're here to follow in his footsteps."

Tagoma's blood ran cold at the reminder of Freeza's demise, but he fought back the fear he was feeling and scowled at the Saiyan. "To think the infamous Prince Vegeta was hiding on this blackwater planet all along," he muttered through gritted teeth. "Lord Cooler will be overjoyed when I bring your battered body before him."

"Oh, so you've changed allegiances now?" Vegeta remarked, his eyebrow raised. "I'm not surprised. A mindless lackey like you is only good for one thing: acting as a footstool for someone far above your class."

"And what about you?" Tagoma spat venomously. "I may still be a mere soldier, but at least I haven't turned into a domesticated dog like you! What reason could a warrior of your renown have to stay on this mudball?" The armoured fighter's eyes then widened, and his frown morphed into a sickening smirk. "Could it be that that the big, bad Prince Vegeta has finally found some-"

Tagoma didn't get the chance to finish his sentence as Vegeta materialised before him and rammed his forehead against his mouth, shattering the grey alien's jawbone into shards as though it were a pane of fragile glass. The soldier gurgled helplessly as blood ran down his mutilated mandible like a waterfall, and could barely even utter a scream when he felt a fist pierce his gut.

"There you go," Vegeta whispered darkly into Tagoma's ear. "A little gift from me before I send you to hell. And to think people say I'm not a nice guy."

Tagoma felt a boiling heat building in the pit of his stomach where Vegeta's fist was buried, but because of his broken mouth was unable to verbally express any sign of discomfort. Inwardly though, he was screaming himself hoarse as the rapidly expanding ball of ki melted away at his insides before exploding like a balloon, subsequently turning the former Freeza soldier into chunks of grey, purple and red.

* * *

The coordinates Sorbet had been given led him to a quaint little house in the middle of nowhere. It was an odd place of residence for a supposedly powerful fighter, but he could certainly understand the tactical benefit of living in a remote area, far away from prying eyes.

With a stern expression on his features, Sorbet touched down before the door of the establishment and kicked it open. He stepped one foot inside the building, only to recoil instantly when something coarse and brittle slammed into his helmeted face, startling him.

Spitting out a handful of twigs, the short warrior scowled at the bun-haired woman who had assaulted him. She was glaring right back at him, menacingly brandishing a broom in his direction.

"I don't know who you are or what you want with my family, you demonic looking gremlin, but you better get the hell away from my house right now!" she growled.

Regaining his composure, Sorbet ignored the woman and activated his scouter. He raised an eyebrow. She had a battle power far beyond that of this planet's average, but it was still nothing noteworthy. Still, if she had a family, then she probably knew who he was looking for. "If you value your life, you will lead me to the powerful fighter who resides here," he commanded sternly.

The woman gritted her teeth and positioned her broom like a spear. "Over my dead body."

Sorbet smirked and pointed his laser ring in her direction. "That can be arranged."

The last thing the short soldier had expected was for a spiky-haired man with two fingers on his forehead to appear out of thin air right in the path of the laser, and seamlessly deflect it with the palm of his hand. Sorbet tilted his head to avoid the reflected blast, which flew out of the house and hit a tree in the distance, causing a massive explosion.

The spiky-haired man narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Hey, you jerk! What's the big idea, attacking my wife with that dangerous thing?"

Sorbet grinned evilly. Now this was the man he was looking for. "That doesn't concern you. You should be more worried about yourself, and what Lord Cooler's going to do to you once I bring you to him."

The small soldier pointed his laser ring in the man's direction and was about to shoot, but his opponent was quicker to react, making a pistol shape with his fingers and firing a rapid ki blast that took off Sorbet's hand, as well as the ring that came with it.

The blue-skinned being clutched his appendage-less arm in horror and let out a bloodcurdling shriek. He didn't have much time to dwell on this, though, as a vicious backhand from his spiky-haired target broke his neck and sent him crumpling to the ground.

"I don't know who this Cooler person is, and I don't care," the deceptively imposing man in the orange martial arts gi stated, "but I'm sensing a nasty energy coming from that weird tattoo on your head. I don't really enjoy doing this, but I can't have you hurting anyone else. Sorry."

Sorbet was unable to budge his head to cast one final look at the man who bested him, and could only gag helplessly as a blistering warmth overcame him and vaporised his entire body.

Goku sighed as he watched his ki blast eradicate the strange blue being. Chi-Chi walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his muscular torso, sobbing against his back. "That man came so close to killing me," she whimpered. "If you'd arrived just a second later…"

Goku frowned and shifted his body so that he could pull her in for a one-armed hug. He wasn't big on such displays of affection, but over the years he'd learnt when it was appropriate, and when his wife needed physical comfort the most. "You did good, Chi-Chi. You did real good, and I'm proud of you for being so brave," he said gently. When he felt her breathing steady, he cast his gaze towards the north. "Let's hope things fare just as well for Gohan."

At the mention of her eldest son, a switch flipped in Chi-Chi's head and she disengaged from her husband, all traces of tears gone. "What do you mean!? What's going on with Gohan? Is he alright?" she demanded, her eyes brimming with worry.

Having become used to such outbursts from his wife, Goku fixed her with a gentle smile as he tried to assuage her concerns. "Don't worry about it; it's nothing Gohan can't handle. Our son is strong, Chi-Chi. Have some faith in him."

* * *

Following the revolting ki signature he'd sensed back in the classroom, Gohan fought his way through the embattled Satan City, bulldozing through any resistance that futilely tried to stop his furious charge. The trail led him to the industrial district, whereupon the sight of a familiar flying saucer in the sky made his blood run cold. "It can't be…"

"Gohan, what is it? Do you recognise who's behind this?" Videl asked through light pants, having finally caught up to her friend and situating herself beside him.

The Son boy clenched his gloved fist in anger. "Someone who should be dead."

Before he could elaborate on that statement, his senses alerted him to immediate danger, and with blinding speed he grabbed Videl by the waist and launched himself out of the way of an incoming ki blast. The devastating beam of energy struck the road the superhero was standing on and exploded with tremendous force, sending a pillar of smoke and fire shooting into the sky.

"Oh my, well isn't this interesting," said a sickeningly suave voice that sent a chill down Gohan's spine. His head shot towards the source of the sound, only for his eyes to bulge when he saw a white and purple figure emerge from behind a nearby building. "It appears I've found someone who can help shed some light on my brother's disappearance."

"Brother?" Gohan mouthed to himself, before recoiling in shock and taking a step back. "No way… Freeza!?"

"Indeed!" the figure chuckled, floating into the air and positioning himself at the edge of a tall building. He then bowed dramatically as though addressing an applauding audience. "You may call me Cooler. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Now that Gohan got a good look at Cooler, he could definitely see the resemblance to the space tyrant he'd encountered on Namek as a child.

Cooler was a fair bit taller than Freeza, seeming to match Goku in height. He sported sleek and sickly purple skin, along with several white, armour-like carapaces on his head, chest, shoulders and shins. A dark blue crest protruded from his forehead – upon which a curved letter 'M' was carved – and his eyes were blood red, their wickedness only accentuated by two markings of the same colour that ran down his cheeks.

Gohan grit his teeth as a bead of sweat ran down his temple. He could sense the carnage permeating Satan City, which was being overrun by Cooler's goons. The nauseating feeling of human lives blinking out of existence was one he was unfortunately familiar with, but it ate him up inside all the same. Knowing that they could all be revived with the Dragon Balls was the only shackle holding him back from snapping completely, but he was livid nonetheless.

"What business do you have with this city?" he growled menacingly at the alien.

Cooler merely chuckled, a smirk visible on his features. "I am simply in the business of collecting powerful fighters for a far greater purpose." His brows furrowed dangerously in Gohan's direction. "Even though you are far beneath my level, I can sense that you're quite a formidable fighter. Tell me, are you the one they call Mr Satan?"

Gohan heard Videl gasp, and he scowled at the villain, taken aback by the name-drop. "No. I'm the Great Saiyaman."

Cooler's lips thinned. "How disappointing. It appears my efforts to draw out your champion are still insufficient. I shall have to rectify that. In the meantime, I'll leave my best men to deal with you… you're not worth my time. Salza, Dore, Neiz! Take care of him!"

At Cooler's command, three figures dropped down from the hovering spaceship and flew towards Gohan, coming to a halt before him. The demi-Saiyan moved to stand protectively in front of Videl, who took that as a sign to back away, much to his relief. He then stared at the three figures impassively, taking note of their appearance.

The shortest of the trio was a turquoise blue humanoid with blond hair curled to the left. As he was standing in front of his comrades, Gohan took this to mean that he was their leader. To his right was a tall and lanky brown reptilian creature, with bulbous yellow eyes and pointy ears. Opposite him, on the other side of the leader, stood a hulking green brute with long, spiky black hair and bulging muscles.

All three men were clad the same yellow chestplate, which bore an insignia on the abdomen and had a single shoulder pad on the left side. They also wore scouters, and bore the same 'M' mark on their foreheads.

In a move that genuinely startled Gohan, the trio broke out into a choreographed dance that was disgustingly tacky, overly simplistic and far too short to be impactful. Even the Ginyu Force had more style. "We are Cooler's Armoured Squadron!" they declared upon finishing, and rushed at him with their arms pulled back.

Gohan narrowed his eyes behind his visor and flared his ki in a simple explosive wave, atomising the onrushing fighters. He took several steps forward, his aura pulsating a blinding white while wisps of wind billowed around his enraged form, and gravel cracked beneath his feet. "I don't have the time to play games with you, Cooler!" he called out, his tone stern and serious.

Said alien was silent, and Gohan could see that he was struggling to maintain his composure; his fists were clenched and shaking, and his eyes were twitching. "It appears I underestimated you," the tyrant said calmly, although his voice was laced with an undeniable rage and bloodthirst.

"Kamehameha!"

"Kamehameha!"

"Dodonpa!"

In a move than neither Gohan nor Cooler were expecting, two giant beams of blue energy crashed into the alien from opposite sides, while a smaller but no less impressive yellow beam spiralled into him from above. Cooler roared in fury and let loose an explosive shockwave of his own, toppling the building he was standing on and sending the three newcomers who had blindsided him hurtling through the air.

Gohan's eyes widened when he saw who the new arrivals were, and just as Cooler was about to follow through with a far deadlier counterattack, the demi-Saiyan flashed in front of the purple alien and walloped him with a brutal punch right on the nose.

The evil tyrant cried out in a mix of shock and pain as the force of the blow sent him rocketing into multiple buildings, carving a trench through the city. Gohan winced audibly and turned to his outmatched allies. "Krillin, Yamcha, Tenshinhan! I can handle this! You guys scour the city and take out the army that's attacking it!"

Yamcha squinted at the costumed superhero. "Gohan? Is that you? Man, I couldn't recognise you in that weird getup!" he called back.

"Yamcha, this is no time for pleasantries! Save them for when we're done!" Tenshinhan interjected. The stern triclops nodded at the Son boy. "Gohan, we'll leave him to you."

"Good luck, Gohan!" Krillin shouted, and with that the trio of martial artists sped into the beleaguered city.

Seeing that he had briefly taken Cooler out of commission, Gohan materialised before a stunned Videl with a burst of speed and gently grabbed her hands, holding them close to his chest. "Videl, I'm going to lure him to where they're building that huge casino resort a few blocks south of here," he explained in haste. "Hopefully I'll be able to keep the damage contained to that area. I want you to fly there ahead of me and tell any construction workers who are still there to evacuate. Think you can handle it?"

The girl blinked at him a few times before nodding determinedly, her eyes hardening. "You can count on me."

Gohan smiled. "I knew I could." He then felt Cooler's ki skyrocket in the distance, and his smile dropped. "He's coming! Go now!"

"Gohan… can you beat him?" Videl asked softly, the concern in her tone almost tangible.

The Son boy exhaled deeply. "As I am now… if I go all out… then yes, I can beat him."

Videl smiled. "Good."

The next thing Gohan knew, the raven-haired crime fighter was pressing her lips against his in a chaste kiss. It only lasted for a couple of seconds, but it enough to set his cheeks ablaze and make his heart race. When she pulled back, he noticed her face was equally as flushed.

"Just something for good luck," she mumbled nervously. "And if you win, there'll be a lot more where that came from… if you want it, that is."

Gohan didn't know if it was because of the adrenaline coursing through his veins, but Videl's kiss triggered something within him, and in the heat of the moment he mashed his lips against hers. Their kiss was longer this time, and far more passionate. What felt like an eternity of repressed emotions that once weighed him down evaporated in an instant, leaving in their place a bubbling warmth that swelled inside him.

When the pair's lips separated, their eyes met, and no further words needed to be said. Videl took off towards the construction site, while Gohan faced the direction that Cooler was approaching from.

Within moments, the alien tyrant sped into view and barreled towards Gohan, a grotesque purple aura shrouding his lean form while his red eyes glowered dangerously at the demi-Saiyan. Matching the glare behind his helmet, Gohan brought out all the power he could muster in his base form, cloaking himself in an armour of white flames and making a massive crater in the ground. Then, with the force of a sonic boom, he launched himself at Cooler with his fist pulled back.

* * *

 **AN: Sorry Freeza. I really liked what you did towards the end of Dragon Ball Super, but the RoF movie and its anime adaptation were truly awful, and the power-scaling was horrendous. From the beginning of this fic I was planning to do away with Sorbet, Tagoma and Shisami, ensuring that Freeza could never be revived. Cooler was also planned from the very beginning, as he's one of my favourite DB movie villains, and I felt like bringing him in as an antagonist would be a good prelude for what's going to happen down the line with Majin Boo.**

 **Leading up to chapter 1 of this fic, and excluding the divergence in the Cell Games – which I detailed in the prequel to this story, Repercussions of the Positive Kind – this fic has thus far followed the manga continuity. As such, this is the first time Cooler and his goons have been to Earth. If you're surprised by his appearance, go back and read the very end of chapter 4, where I foreshadowed his arrival.**

 **Anyway, to put it bluntly, a lot of shit went down in this chapter, and I hope I managed to convey it all as grandly as I pictured it in my head. Up until now the story has been a lot more Videl-centric than I initially intended, but from this chapter onwards it's going to shift more towards Gohan's perspective, so look forward to it. I know I am. Next chapter in particular is going to be wild.**

 **In any case, if you have the time, I'd love to hear what you guys thought of this chapter, as well as the whole Majin Cooler thing. As always, I'd like to say thanks to everyone who's favourited, followed and reviewed this fic. You guys are awesome.**

 **Until next time!**

 **PS: If you were an early reader and missed the addendum I added to my author's note at the end of the last chapter, I'll repeat it here.**

 **Since I've been getting a few reviews about this, I figured I'd address it. Just because Roshi told Videl she could surpass Krillin and Yamcha DOES NOT mean that she actually will. The main reason he told her that was to motivate her, and give her a goal to aim for, like a good teacher would. Whether or not she actually does surpass them will take decades, and I don't currently plan for this fic to go past the Boo saga. All I'm going to ask is that if you've been on board with my power-scaling up until now, please have faith that I'll continue to handle it in a reasonable way.**


	16. Revelations

**Rising to the Challenge – The Legacy of Son Gohan**

 **Chapter 16 – Revelations**

 _"Gohan… can you beat him?" Videl asked softly, the concern in her tone almost tangible._

 _The Son boy exhaled deeply. "As I am now… if I go all out… then yes, I can beat him."_

 _Videl smiled. "Good."_

 _The next thing Gohan knew, the raven-haired crime fighter was pressing her lips against his in a chaste kiss. It only lasted for a couple of seconds, but it enough to set his cheeks ablaze and make his heart race. When she pulled back, he noticed her face was equally as flushed._

 _"Just something for good luck," she mumbled nervously. "And if you win, there'll be a lot more where that came from… if you want it, that is."_

 _Gohan didn't know if it was because of the adrenaline coursing through his veins, but Videl's kiss triggered something within him, and in the heat of the moment he mashed his lips against hers. Their kiss was longer this time, and far more passionate. What felt like an eternity of repressed emotions that once weighed him down evaporated in an instant, leaving in their place a bubbling warmth that swelled inside him._

 _When the pair's lips separated, their eyes met, and no further words needed to be said. Videl took off towards the construction site, while Gohan faced the direction that Cooler was approaching from._

 _Within moments, the alien tyrant sped into view and barrelled towards Gohan, a grotesque purple aura shrouding his lean form while his red eyes glowered dangerously at the demi-Saiyan. Matching the glare behind his helmet, Gohan brought out all the power he could muster in his base form, cloaking himself in an armour of white flames and making a massive crater in the ground. Then, with the force of a sonic boom, he launched himself at Cooler with his fist pulled back._

* * *

Gohan and Cooler's right fists collided with the sound of a thunderclap, and the ground beneath them shook. Gritting in exertion, the two fighters pushed against one another evenly for a few seconds, until Gohan broke the deadlock and blew his opponent's fist back. He followed that up by dashing forward, slipping past a retaliatory left jab, and ramming a ruthless right hook into the alien's ribs.

Cooler gasped in pain as spittle flew from his mouth, and Gohan took advantage of this loss in focus to plant his palms on the ground and launch the tyrant into the air with a reverse mule kick. Not giving him even a moment to gather his bearings, the demi-Saiyan rocketed upwards with a burst of speed and unleashed several punches at Cooler's midsection, each blow sending the alien higher into the sky.

Once Gohan deemed them to be at a reasonable height, he halted his onslaught and gripped Cooler hard by the tail, then began spinning him around with such intensity that it appeared as if a tornado had formed. After that, he flung the shell-shocked alien towards the south.

Before Cooler could even think to respond, Gohan rushed forward and latched his arms around the purple-skinned being in a bone-crushing bearhug, while using the momentum of his charge to propel his opponent towards where the casino resort was being built.

With his arms pinned tightly against his sides, Cooler could do nothing but twitch futilely against the helmeted superhero's overwhelming strength. However, he was by no means helpless, and Gohan quickly found that out when two debilitatingly precise beams of purple ki flew from the alien's eyes and struck him in the base of the spine.

The demi-Saiyan cried out in pain and loosened his grip ever so slightly, but that was enough for Cooler to flare his ki and break out of Gohan's hold. Momentarily stunned by the shockwave, the Son boy could do nothing as a sharp elbow struck him in the back and shot him towards the ground like a comet. Gohan's body slammed into the road below and broke through the hard concrete with a deafening crash, leaving a crater in its wake.

Coughing from the dust and dirt he'd accidentally inhaled, the caped warrior attempted to rise to his feet, but a sudden Death Beam to the back made him gasp and halted his ascent. This was immediately followed by yet another Death Beam, and then a third and fourth. The next thing Gohan knew, Cooler was firing a brutal, chain gun-like barrage of Death Beams into his grounded form, pushing him deeper into the bedrock.

Gohan grit his teeth as he felt the dangerous beams of ki riddle his cape full of holes and set his back ablaze. Anger built within him at the thought of how he'd been caught off guard by his adversary, and with a vicious roar punctuating a sudden surge of ki, the demi-Saiyan pushed through the pain and rose to his feet, ignoring the ongoing bombardment with sheer willpower. Once he was standing up straight, he crossed his arms over his chest and flung them outwards with a spirited shout, the resulting explosive wave blowing away all the smoke and dust clouding his figure.

Briefly free from Cooler's assault, Gohan lifted his hands above his head and thrust them towards the airborne alien. "Masenko!" he cried, letting loose a flamelike beam of yellow energy that surged towards his target.

The tyrant's eyes widened and he attempted to move out of the way of the onrushing attack, but wasn't quick enough to stop a sizeable portion of sizzling hot ki grazing his left side. He shrieked in agony as the Masenko charred his purple skin, and then hunched over in anguish as Gohan materialised before him in a burst of speed and buried a fist in his abdomen.

The demi-Saiyan didn't relent in his counterattack, digging his fingers into Cooler's temples and ramming his helmeted forehead against the alien's blue crest a total of three times. Then, without letting go, he swung Cooler's head directly into the path of his rising knee, taking note of the familiar sensation of cartilage breaking.

With Cooler substantially dazed, Gohan shifted to a one-handed grip on the alien's head, crushing the purple face against his palm, and flung him at the ground without letting go. Upon crashing, this enhanced momentum led to another sizable crater being formed in the road.

After the initial collision, Gohan slammed the back of the tyrant's cranium into the bedrock a few times, then charged a deadly ball of ki within his occupied hand. The attack quickly engulfed the evil being's head and erupted in a contained explosion.

When the small blast subsided, Gohan hurled the wounded Cooler harshly down the road and watched him skip along the concrete like a pebble across water, smashing into abandoned cars as though he were a white and purple battering ram. He eventually came to a stop a fair way away from Gohan and collapsed on the ground, motionless.

That brought the demi-Saiyan no small amount of satisfaction; being able to take down this new threat with minimal civilian casualties and property destruction would make the victory all the sweeter.

People slowly started poking their heads out of windows and stepping onto the street, rejoicing when they saw the battered form of Cooler. Cheers sounded throughout the civilian crowd, and within seconds there was a jubilant chant going, "Saiyaman! Saiyaman! Saiyaman!"

Before Gohan could respond, he saw Cooler's body twitch, and a putrid ki flooded his senses. His eyes widened. "Everyone! Get back inside! He's not out of it yet!"

Quickly flaring his ki, the startled superhero sped towards the alien, who was rapidly rising to his feet. Once he had stood up, two balls of ki formed in his purple hands, but before he could do anything with them, Gohan speared him with devastating force.

The pair of fighters engaged in a vicious exchange of close quarter punches as they spiralled through the city streets in a blur of speed, completely untraceable to the untrained eye. Gohan hammered Cooler in the gut with an array of violent hooks, while the tyrannical alien returned fire with concentrated punches aimed at the body's weak points.

The exchange ended abruptly when Cooler wrapped his long tail around Gohan's legs, tightened his grip, and tossed him at the ground. The moment the demi-Saiyan collided with the hard concrete below, his purple adversary slammed into his chest with a savage stomp, a clawed foot raking across his flesh and tearing away his green tunic.

Gohan cried out, then gasped as the momentum of the attack sent plummeting through the ground, and landing in a long, dark corridor illuminated by faint lights. The moment he felt wooden planks and metal rails dig into his back, his eyes bulged, and a sense of panic welled up inside him. _'The subway!'_

Cooler proceeded to follow through on his initial stomp with another one, but Gohan reacted fast enough to roll out of the way, kip up back to his feet, and land a side thrust kick into the alien's hip.

Unfortunately for the demi-Saiyan, this did little to hurt the tyrant, and simply sent him skidding away a few metres. He recovered quickly, and within seconds, the two combatants were back to brawling with one another. After an even exchange, they ended up locking hands across the railroad, pushing against each other in a test of strength.

"How are you still standing?" Gohan ground out.

Cooler chuckled darkly amid tired pants. "You're dealing with a power far beyond your comprehension, boy!" he shot back.

Gohan scowled and tightened his grip on his opponent's hands, trying to crush the two appendages into paste. However, before he could make any progress, a blaring horn rang in his ear and a bright light washed over the two grappling warriors. _'Crap!'_

Seeing as he had to act immediately, Gohan disengaged from the test of strength and landed a quick snap kick on Cooler's shin, making the alien yelp. He then placed his open palms in front of his face, facing inwards. "Taiyo-ken!"

A white light far brighter than that of the train's headlights illuminated the subway tunnel, and Cooler could do nothing but scream as it burnt his retinas. Temporarily blinded, the purple-skinned being was completely unaware of Gohan clenching his right fist, swinging it up from a low angle, and landing a three-quarter uppercut directly on the underside of his chin.

Shards of broken teeth erupted from Cooler's mouth as he was launched upwards and out of the large hole Gohan's body had formed in the road. The demi-Saiyan immediately followed suit, narrowly avoiding the onrushing train and saving many lives from a lethal collision.

Now back in the sky, Gohan dashed at the confused alien, who was still rubbing the sight back into his eyes, and began laying into him with numerous hard punches and kicks to the torso, each blow prompting a gasp from the tyrant. After this had gone on for a few seconds, Gohan switched up his approach and started slapping the evil being silly.

Cooler's head swung from side to side under the brutal barrage, the sickening sound of palm smacking against skin reverberating through the area as the Son boy took out his frustration on his opponent's rapidly reddening cheeks.

However, before Gohan could deal any serious damage, he felt one arm get caught mid-swing, and then the other. Shocked, he saw Cooler slowly open his blood red eyes, a pained grimace on his features. Not given even a moment to respond, the caped superhero was launched backwards when his alien adversary pulled his hands forward and planted a deadly dropkick into his chest.

Immediately noticing that he was about to crash into a tall office building, Gohan grit his teeth and flung his hands backwards, expelling a small kiai that slowed his speed and allowed him to skid to a mid-air stop just before impact.

Gohan was then forced to react instantly as Cooler barrelled towards him with his right fist pulled back. Seeing as he had no other option, the demi-Saiyan held out his palms and cleanly caught the alien's fist, saving himself from harm. Unfortunately, he was unable to stop the wind generated from the clash of hands, which blew out the back of him and shattered the windows of the building he'd been trying to stop from falling. It was a better outcome, but still far from ideal.

The alarmed screams of innocent office workers assaulted Gohan's ears, causing rage to well up inside him. He tightened his grip on Cooler's fist as the alien tried to break free of the hold, but to no avail. "Who ar-are you?" the purple being stammered. "This planet-"

"Why. Won't. You. Stay. Down!?" Gohan screamed, ignoring the question and cutting Cooler off mid-sentence. Enraged, and seeing an opportunity to capitalise on his advantageous position, the costumed warrior swung his left arm to the side and rammed his forearm into the underside of the tyrant's elbow.

Cooler screeched in pure agony as his arm snapped at the joint and hung loosely at his side. This was followed up by a fierce front kick which struck his abdomen and propelled him backwards. Before he could collide with anything inanimate, Gohan zipped behind him with a burst of speed and buried his knee in the alien's ribs, eliciting another anguished cry and altering his trajectory through the air.

What followed was a downright devastating beating from the demi-Saiyan, who repeated this process several times to send his injured adversary zigzagging past buildings, until the construction site of the casino resort came into view.

The location was a large and mostly bare plot of land in the middle of the middle of the city, which was why Gohan wanted to bring the fight there. A few bulldozers, cement mixers and cranes were scattered around the sandy ground, showing that construction had only recently begun, but other than that there was nothing of note.

Quickly shifting his body so that Cooler was positioned between him and his intended destination, Gohan fired a piercing punch into the alien's sternum. Then, without removing his hand, he opened his palm and launched a simple energy beam that propelled the tyrant towards the middle of the construction site.

Not wanting to relent in his assault, Gohan flared his ki and dashed towards Cooler's helpless form. When his target came into range, the superhero rotated his body for extra momentum and drilled a debilitating elbow into the alien's throat, subsequently sending him shooting into the ground and causing a minor earthquake upon colliding with the hard dirt.

Gohan panted lightly as he observed the thick dust cloud below, desperately hoping that the fight was over. Cooler wasn't overly strong, all things considered, but his durability was unnaturally high, and as such his propensity to shrug off near-fatal attacks could not be underestimated.

"Gohan, that was incredible!"

Said Son boy was taken by surprise when Videl flew at him out of nowhere and wrapped her arms around his muscular midsection. He was so focused on searching for Cooler's ki signature that he'd completely missed the raven-haired girl. Despite everything, he allowed a small quirk of his lips and returned the hug, relishing the feel of Videl in his arms. Being in her presence always improved his mood.

"I've never seen anyone move so fast before! And that power… man, that was crazy!" she continued excitedly.

Before Gohan could reply, a whirring sound in the distance grabbed his attention. Startled, he glanced towards the source, and grimaced when he saw a helicopter approaching the construction site. To further compound his annoyance, the spinning of rotors was heard once again, only this time from the opposite side.

"Crap, it's the media," Videl cursed under her breath. "Of course they'd be here. When it comes to big news, those morons have no sense of self-preservation."

Gohan removed himself from Videl's embrace and frowned worriedly at the dust cloud that had risen below. There hadn't been any sign of Cooler for a while now, and the demi-Saiyan had dealt what would ordinarily be a fatal blow… but something still didn't sit right with him. "I have a bad feeling about this," he remarked concernedly.

Gohan's suspicions were quickly proven right when he felt Cooler's sickly ki spike without warning. The next thing he knew, a Death Beam came whizzing at Videl's head. With only a millisecond to respond, the helmeted superhero moved on instinct and stuck his left hand in the path of the onrushing attack, only to cry out in agony when the searing hot energy burned a hole through his gloved palm, but thankfully didn't penetrate further.

Not even a moment later, two larger waves of purple ki shot out from the dust cloud and sped towards the incoming news helicopters. Resisting the urge to wince because of his aching hand, a panicking Gohan cupped his hands above his head. "Masenko!"

As the yellow ki blast rocketed towards one of Cooler's ki blasts to deflect it, Gohan used the momentum that came with launching it to give himself a small speed boost, and accelerated towards the alien's second attack with urgency, a white aura blazing around his fast-moving figure. He managed to reach the helicopter just before it got hit, and had enough composure to backhand Cooler's ki beam into the sky, where it sailed harmlessly into space.

Furious, Gohan turned around and glared at the occupants of the helicopter. "You need to leave this place now!" he growled uncharacteristically. "It's too dangerous for you to stay here!"

"Are you kidding? This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to get first-hand footage of an alien invasion! We'd be nuts to miss it!" a bespectacled man with a microphone retorted. "Besides, it looks like you have everything under control, Mr Saiyaman!"

Next to him, a man with a backwards cap was pointing a giant video camera at the superhero and flashing him a thumbs-up. The third occupant of the helicopter – the pilot – grinned in his direction.

Gohan grit his teeth and would've tugged at his hair in frustration if it wasn't being covered by his helmet. Seeing as trying to reason with them would be futile, as well as a luxury he didn't have time for, the demi-Saiyan spared one last glance and the media team and was about to rush at Cooler, only to be stopped in his tracks by a sickening sight that made his heart stop.

A pillar of purple energy waves rose from the dust cloud and rained down upon the area, incinerating whatever they touched and bathing the ground in a sea of smoke and fire.

"NOOOO!" Gohan screamed, panic overtaking him. His eyes immediately shifted towards Videl, who he was shocked to see darting between the destructive ki attacks, holding two men by the arms while another clung to her back. Upon noticing the burning helicopter plummeting to the ground, and the large camera being carried by one of the men, the demi-Saiyan instantly put the pieces together and felt a weight lift off his shoulders. _'Thank Kami!'_

However, he wasn't given any time to dwell on this thought, as an array of ki blasts flew towards him and the remaining helicopter. With his body shaking in rage, Gohan spread his arms and erected an energy shield in front of him. Multiple beams of ki then pelted against the superhero's barrier, but it stood strong under the onslaught.

This brief lull in the fighting gave Gohan the opportunity to survey his surroundings. While he, Videl and the two news crews were safe, the buildings surrounding the construction site were set ablaze. With sorrow welling up within him, he could only hope that the innocent people residing in those buildings had noticed the chaos taking place and got away before this latest act of aggression.

Cooler's ki barrage wavered momentarily, and Gohan saw this as this as the perfect time to strike back. His energy shield shattered, and a flaming aura of white sprang to life around him, disintegrating the remaining ki waves. His eyes narrowed ominously at where he knew the evil tyrant stood. "You ruthless, heartless bastard!"

With a booming roar, Gohan dashed towards Cooler, his billowing aura blowing away the dust cloud that masked his alien adversary. Upon reaching striking range, the infuriated demi-Saiyan lashed out with a right-handed punch that the tyrant caught in his hands with noticeable effort, his previously unusable left arm now once again fully functional.

"Surprised to see me?" the purple-skinned being asked with a sickening smirk, the force of the blow having made him skid along the ground.

Gohan said nothing and wrenched his arm free in a show of strength, then followed that up by grabbing Cooler's wrist with the same hand and pulling the alien in for a left-handed palm strike to the underside of the chin, rattling his brain in the process. The Son boy's hand stung from the impact, but he ignored it, knowing better than to draw attention to it in a fight.

His next move was to grip Cooler by the cranium with his injured hand, and dig his fingers into the alien's temples. He then pulled down and smashed three savage uppercuts into the tyrant's face, knocking him onto his back and making him spit out a glob of blood.

In what made for a truly nauseating image, Cooler's face was now coated in the thick red liquid, mostly from his own injuries, but also from Gohan's hurt hand smearing its own blood across him.

Panting lightly, Gohan stalked menacingly towards his downed adversary, but in another astounding display of durability, Cooler swung his tail and grabbed the demi-Saiyan's injured hand. Before the superhero could wring it free, the alien drilled the tip of his tail into the open wound, widening it as though he was digging a hole in a sandpit.

This time, Gohan couldn't hide his discomfort, and was forced to let out an agonised yell as his hand erupted in pain. This rendered him powerless to respond to Cooler's slimy tail wrapping itself around his neck and flinging him to the ground.

From there, the alien dropped to the dirt and planted his knees in Gohan's biceps, preventing the boy from moving his arms. He then proceeded to unload an unrelenting barrage of punches at the downed warrior, all the while tightening the chokehold his tail had on the demi-Saiyan's neck.

Gohan could only sputter helplessly as Cooler's knuckles rained down on his head. His helmet protected him to a degree, but he could feel it cracking from the force of the alien's repeated blows, and if the prolonged assault continued for much longer, it would break entirely. That would've been disastrous.

The punches didn't hurt Gohan too much – it was the tail crushing his windpipe that was doing most of the damage – but he knew he couldn't keep this up forever. Thankfully, he had a plan.

"Just die already!" Cooler roared through bloodied and broken teeth. Blood from his cut-up mouth splattered all over Gohan's visor as he shouted, but the Son boy paid it no heed. His focus was solely on charging up as much ki as he could in his throat – a task made exceedingly more difficult due to the pressure being applied by the alien's tail.

Eventually, Cooler grew tired of his current assault and stopped punching. His red orbs glowed a dark purple, signifying his intent to blow Gohan's head off with an eye beam. Unfortunately for him, this gave the demi-Saiyan the perfect opportunity to retaliate, and he did just that by opening his mouth and launching from within it a blue energy blast that exploded against Cooler's face.

' _Thank you, Piccolo,'_ Gohan remarked mentally. The mouth blast he'd just fired wasn't particularly strong, but it was potent enough to momentarily stun the evil alien and force him to loosen his tail.

Taking advantage of that, Gohan slipped his pinned arms free and grabbed Cooler's tail. He then brought the purple appendage to his mouth and unflinchingly bit into it as hard as he could.

Cooler screeched like a hurt hyena and instantly unwrapped his tail from Gohan's neck so that he could leap backwards to safety. However, the demi-Saiyan wasn't prepared to let his adversary off the hook, and latched on to the tail before it was retracted fully. With his strength now fully returned, he was quick enough to hop to his feet and stomp on the long appendage.

This time, Cooler let out a startled yelp as he tried to yank his tail free from under Gohan's boot, but it was a futile endeavour. The evil tyrant was then rendered completely helpless as his costumed opponent unloaded a multitude of ferocious hooks and crosses upon his head, ricocheting it from side to side like a large pinball.

Gohan felt the flesh on his adversary's face tear under the prolonged battering as blood coated his white gloves, but he ignored both it and the searing pain in his left hand. He could sense that the end to their fight was drawing near… all he needed was one decisive finishing blow.

With that in mind, Gohan stopped his vicious onslaught, and saw that Cooler's face was bruised to the point that it was barely recognisable. His nose was crooked, his cheeks had swelled dramatically, and his cold red eyes – which were fluttering open and closed as he drifted towards unconsciousness – were almost completely hidden under the swelling on his brow.

It was a pitiful sight, and Gohan knew it was time to put Cooler out of his misery. He landed a quick side thrust kick with his right leg to the alien's left shin, snapping it and making him topple forward. Before he could collapse completely, the demi-Saiyan retracted his foot, and with immense flexibility and perfect form, crouched low and buried another thrust kick into his opponent's gut, launching the purple being into the air.

Gohan stared at the ascending figure and cupped his uninjured right hand at his waist. "Kaaa meee haaa meee HAAA!" An enormous ball of dazzling blue ki formed in front of his palm, and was hurled mercilessly at Cooler's brutalised figure.

The Son boy let out a relieved sigh as he watched the cylindrical beam of energy wash over his defeated foe. His brows then furrowed. Something was wrong… very, very wrong. Cooler's energy wasn't going down. Instead, it had skyrocketed to new heights, making Gohan's eyes widen in shock. _'No, no, no, no, no! You've got to be kidding me!'_ he screamed mentally. _'What the hell is it with this damned family!?'_

Another one-handed Kamehameha was hastily formed and fired at the ki signature, but it exploded harmlessly upon colliding with an invisible barrier.

Gohan grit his teeth and glared dejectedly at where he felt Cooler's ki. When the smoke from his failed Kamehameha cleared, he was treated to the sight of a drastically different-looking alien.

Cooler's transformation had given him a noticeable size increase, as he was now both taller and significantly bulkier. The carapace on his shoulders had morphed into a hooplike shape, while the carapaces on his wrists and shins had gained dark blue crests in the same mould as the one on his head. His forearms also sported two deadly bladelike protrusions that looked like they could gut a man with a single slash.

However, the most severe change was that the carapace on Cooler's cranium now completely encased his head, and had four large spikes extending from it. A visor-like component of the same material covered the alien's mouth, while the curved 'M' adorning the crest on his forehead still stood out prominently.

Perhaps most worryingly, all the prior damage Cooler had sustained appeared to have healed, causing Gohan to curse under his breath.

"You seem surprised at my appearance," the evil tyrant observed, his voice calm and collected, but no less threatening. "I can't fault you for that. After all, this is a form I have worked tirelessly to attain, and one that neither my father nor dimwit brother knew anything about." He clenched and unclenched his purple fist. "Truthfully, I had planned to use it to kill Freeza myself, but someone already beat me to it… and I can't help but want to know who I have to thank for that."

His red eyes then narrowed at the demi-Saiyan and gleamed ominously. "I must commend you on pushing me this far, but I'm afraid our little confrontation will end here. First, I'll kill the people you care about, and then I'll beat the information out of you."

Gohan's breath hitched in his throat, and it took him a fraction of a second to process what he'd heard before he found himself speeding towards Videl as Cooler fired a simple ki blast in her direction.

The Son boy reached the girl with nary a moment to spare and planted himself in front of her protectively, crossing his arms over his chest as the beam struck him. He screamed as the skin on his arms burned from the heat, but he refused to budge. "V-V-Videl…. Ge-get out of h-here!" he ground out through gritted teeth.

Said raven-haired girl could do nothing but stare in horror as the boy she'd come to care so deeply for literally put himself in the line of fire for her. Despite his body acting as a barrier, she could still feel the surface of her skin start to boil, and couldn't imagine what kind of pain he was going through. "Gohan… I can't just leave y-"

"Do as I say!" the superhero shouted, interrupting the crime fighter and startling her with his volume. "Pl-please t-trust me… I got this," he pleaded, his voice laced with exertion.

Videl wiped her eyes and nodded resolutely. She had trusted Gohan thus far, and she would continue to trust him, as he hadn't given her a reason not to. It hurt her deeply to leave him to suffer like this, but she knew she'd only be a hindrance if she stayed.

With that thought in mind, and a heavy heart weighing her down, Videl flew away as fast as she could until she reached the edge of the construction site. She then turned back towards the action, and was elated to see Gohan overcome the ki blast he was struggling against and fling it into space. The sleeves of his costume were burnt off, exposing chiselled arms that were red and raw, and the front of his spandex outfit was torn and frayed, but he was still standing.

However, the joy Videl was feeling quickly turned to despair, as Cooler vanished from view and reappeared before Gohan, a fist buried in the boy's chest. The superhero spat out blood and hunched over his opponent's fist, to which the evil alien responded by lifting his other arm and ramming an elbow into the caped teenager's back.

Gohan plummeted to the ground with a thunderous tremor, and was given no time to even attempt to get back on his feet, as Cooler grabbed a hold of his leg with his tail, and started slamming the boy harshly into the rough dirt. The ground shook with each collision, and Videl felt tears well up. _'Come on, Gohan! Get up and fight! You said you would win!'_

From her position, she could see Gohan flail around in his opponent's grip, which was a somewhat promising sign as it meant he wasn't down for the count yet. Unfortunately, she knew all too well that spirit alone could only get you so far. Her heart clenched, and she cursed her inability to do anything to help.

Eventually, Cooler grew tired of slamming Gohan into the ground, and unwrapped his tail from around the boy's leg, only to coil it around his neck instead. Choking his young opponent with the long appendage, the evil alien brought Gohan close to his face, and headbutted him several times. He then pulled back his leg and booted the teenager in the chest, sending him careening through the air and setting him on a collision course with a burning building.

Videl's hands flew to her mouth, but before disaster could strike, she saw Gohan fling his arms to the side and right himself in the air. Cooler was having none of it though, and in an act that dashed whatever hint of hope she was feeling, disappeared with a sonic boom and materialised behind Gohan. The evil alien then clasped his meaty hand around the superhero's cape, and swung him like a wrecking ball against the side of the building, smashing several windows in the process.

The next few seconds happened in a blur for Videl, as she was unable to track the two fighters' movements. Tangible shockwaves appeared in the air, rapidly rising until they were high above the tall building. Then, a deafening boom was heard, and the next thing she knew, something went crashing through the top of the building with tremendous force. With the tall structure already in awful shape, this was the final trigger needed to make it collapse inwards, burying the poor soul beneath it in a pile of flaming rubble.

The ground rumbled and a large dust cloud blanketed the surface of the street.

A tattered red cape sailed lifelessly through the air.

A ball-like black and orange object spun through the sky before embedding itself into the rough dirt of the construction site.

As though in a trance, Videl hovered robotically towards the object and picked it up with trembling hands. It was Gohan's Saiyaman helmet, battered and dented with the top having caved in on itself – a far cry from the once bright and colourful symbol of Satan City's protector. In addition to that, the left side of the visor was gone, having been pierced by something thick and sharp enough to leave a large hole in the back of the helmet.

Videl held the helmet with both hands and rested it against her forehead. Memories of all the happy times she'd experienced with Gohan flashed through her head, ending with when she finally plucked up the courage to kiss him. It was by no means something she'd planned in advance, but the sheer confidence, courage and selflessness the Son boy exuded while defending the city, as well as the commanding presence his aura projected, was exhilarating to be around. That, combined with the stakes at hand, lit a fire inside the girl and prompted her to act – to let him know how she truly felt.

And now… he was gone. With that realisation Videl's heart shattered, and tears flowed from her eyes like a waterfall. The helmet slipped from her hands and his fists clenched hard enough to draw blood, unwelcome sobs racking her body. She screamed to the heavens at the top of her lungs, uncaring who heard her, and raw, unfiltered rage seeped from her pores.

She then rose to her feet and glared at Cooler through narrowed, tear-ridden eyes. The evil alien was hovering calmly above the destroyed building, observing the wreckage below. His unabashed nonchalance over the act of cruelty he'd just committed was the final straw for Videl.

With another scream, the crime fighter brought out all the ki she had remaining, cloaking her body in a thin white aura, and charged at Cooler with all the malice she could muster, common sense be damned. She didn't get very far, though, as a sudden pulse in the air made her come to a screeching halt.

Videl froze, and a chill ran down her spine as the temperature seemed to drop. Her heart skipped a beat, and then the world started to shake. Bits of rubble floated precariously above the ground, and the dust around the toppled building swirled as though drawn towards a tornado. There was another pulse in the air, followed by a flash of gold, and then everything went white.

Videl yelled out as a sudden surge of overwhelming ki flooded her senses like a tidal wave. Her previous attempts learning how to sense ki had proved mostly fruitless, and the best she could do was sense the presence of people close by. But now… it felt as though she had dived into a bottomless well of ki against her will and become submerged within it. It made her nauseous, and her head felt like splitting, but after a few seconds the pain disappeared, and was replaced by a comforting warmth that seemed to blanket her very soul.

Her vision cleared, and her eyes and mouth widened at what she saw. _'Well… shit.'_

Standing in the rubble of the ruined building, wreathed in an aura of golden flames, was a tall shirtless figure. His muscular torso glistened with sweat, and small cuts peppered his otherwise flawless body. Angry teal orbs glared coldly at an awestruck Cooler above, a sizable gash above his left eye making blood drip down his face, and giving him an even more fearsome visage. Familiar but oh-so different locks of spiky golden hair jutted from his head, and a lone bang hung over his forehead.

A wave of emotions hit Videl like a truck, and her heart pounded as she tried to make sense of them.

First was shock – absolute shock at having finally found the answer she'd sought after for so long. Then came dejection, as it made too much sense, and was something that should've been obvious had she just trusted her instincts. What followed was a tinge of betrayal at having been lied to – again – but it was quickly shot down by a newfound acceptance. There was still a good deal of anger and frustration there, but she knew why he did it, and would wait to hear his side of the story. Then there was elation – pure, innocent elation at the revelation that her first crush, and the hero who ultimately saved the world from Cell, was the boy she was currently in love with.

A shaky smile spread across Videl's lips. _'Gohan, you big, stupid goof. Go and kick his ass already.'_

Gohan cursed under his breath as he scowled in Cooler's direction. Everything had gone downhill since the evil alien had transformed, forcing the Son boy to turn Super Saiyan. On top of that, the city had sustained even more damage. Granted, it was nothing the Dragon Balls couldn't fix, but it stung him all the same. He was supposed to be this city's protector, and he had let its people down.

Seeing as now was not the time to deal with them, Gohan cast those distressing thoughts aside. Then, with an untraceable speed to those around him, he dashed in front of Cooler and drove his fist into the tyrant's stomach, making him keel over breathlessly as the wind was knocked out of him, and puke out a wad of blood that splattered onto the street below.

"You wanted to know who I was, didn't you?" Gohan whispered into Cooler's ear, twisting his ki-imbued fist and drawing a gasp of pain from the alien. "I am Son Gohan, a Super Saiyan." A rising elbow then shattered the tyrant's jaw, making him gurgle helplessly. "It's quite fitting, isn't it? After all, your father and brother also met their end at the hands of a Super Saiyan."

Cooler's red eyes bulged at the information, but before he could respond, a savage spinning heel kick struck him in the temple and sent him hurtling towards the construction site. Gohan immediately gave chase and darted behind the alien, his blazing aura leaving a golden trail in the sky. Once he was in range, he jammed his knee into the base of Cooler's spine, propelling the tyrant high into the air.

With yet another indiscernible burst of speed, he rocketed after Cooler and launched him towards the ground with a violent double hammerfist strike to the cranium. As the evil being went plummeting face-first towards the earth, Gohan followed suit, and drilled his foot into the back of the alien's head, hastening his descent and hurting him even more.

The wounded Cooler – with Gohan standing on his back as though he were a surfboard – crashed upon the hard dirt of the already-devastated construction site like a meteorite, splitting the ground and generating an earthquake that shook Satan City. He spat out more blood and tried to crawl away from his overwhelmingly powerful opponent, but a hard grip on his tail made that plan of action impossible.

In an act of payback for his earlier treatment at Cooler's hands, Gohan swung the tyrant by the tail and slammed him into the ground several times, each collision eliciting a pained grunt from the alien and sending a tremor through the area. Once he felt his adversary was sufficiently injured, the demi-Saiyan swung him around like a lasso and flung him high into the air.

Cooler was eventually able to right himself and gather his bearings, but the damage done to him was severe. One of the spikes atop his head had snapped off, while the visor covering his mouth had large cracks running through it. His purple face was littered with various lacerations and bruises, and there were several notable indentations across his torso. On top of all that, he was wheezing audibly and looked to be struggling to breathe.

Gohan's facial expression betrayed nothing as he gazed up at his suffering foe. He simply held his right hand out to the side and formed a swirling ball of blue ki within it. However, before he could hurl the sparkling orb of energy at the alien and eliminate him for good, a fit of bizarre behaviour made him pause.

Cooler had clutched his forehead with both hands and was shaking furiously while screaming something unintelligible. A sickly purple aura formed around his burly figure and he shakily lifted his right arm into the air, panting with exertion. Veins bulged around his blood red eyes, and the curved 'M' on his forehead seemed to glow unnaturally. A marble-sized sphere of orange came to life at the tip of his extended finger.

"I will not be anyone's slave any longer!" he suddenly roared as the tiny ball of energy he was forming ballooned to a tremendous size. It was now reminiscent of a miniature sun: giant, bulbous and a yellowish-orange in cover, with the surface bubbling and boiling. Rays of searing heat shone from the pulsating energy, making the air shimmer. "You and your ilk have disgraced my family for the last time! Now perish with the rest of this accursed planet!"

Gohan stared impassively as the gargantuan ball of ki sailed towards him. Even when it got close enough to make him sweat, he remained unflinching. He had seen an attack of this magnitude before, and as he was now, stopping it was child's play.

The demi-Saiyan casually reached out with his right hand and planted his palm against the energy sphere. Then, with a gentle push, he reversed the momentum of the attack and returned it to its sender.

Cooler's eyes bulged dramatically as the radiant ki ball floated unsteadily towards him. "What!? Impossible! My Supernova… how!?" With an anguished cry, he thrust both hands against the sphere and tried to push it back towards his adversary.

Gohan saw Cooler struggling, and decided it was time to end him once and for all. With his still outstretched hand pointing towards the tyrannical alien, he fired a large beam of energy that smashed into the Supernova, then engulfed it completely.

The pressure of trying to hold out against both his own technique and Gohan's subsequent ki blast was too much for Cooler to handle, and with one final, tormented shriek of horror, the last living member of a genocidal family of intergalactic despots was pushed into the very space he once sought to conquer. His body was slowly torn apart by the searing hot ki of two enormous energy beams until it struck the surface of the sun and was promptly atomised.

When he sensed Cooler's ki fade completely, Gohan let out a sigh of relief and scanned his surroundings. The whirring of helicopter rotors alerted him to the fact that much of his confrontation with the alien was caught on camera – a fact that made him wince inwardly. His onyx orbs then met familiar cerulean ones, and his heart clenched. Videl had seen him transform. She was now fully aware that he'd blatantly lied to her about being the Golden Warrior.

The demi-Saiyan sighed. It was finally time to face the music. With a burst of speed, he appeared before the raven-haired girl, who was staring at him with an awestruck expression. He held his good hand out to her, and she took it, much to his surprise. Then, leaving behind an afterimage, the two teenagers vanished.

Moments later, Gohan and Videl reappeared in an alleyway behind a secluded building several blocks away. The girl staggered slightly, caught off guard by the Super Saiyan's insane speed, but she recovered quickly, and fixed Gohan with a curious look.

The Son boy stood up straight and his expression remained neutral, although inwardly he was extremely concerned. He didn't have a clue what to say in this situation, so he was content to let Videl speak first. He exhaled deeply, bracing himself for an impending explosion.

To his utter befuddlement, Videl's response was to sigh and run her hand through his golden locks, her petite fingers making his skin tingle. "You're a real dumbass, you know that?" she remarked quietly.

Gohan's jaw dropped. "Wh-what? Why?"

"For not transforming earlier," she replied simply, getting closer to the boy and making him take a step back. "It would've made the fight a lot easier."

He balked at that answer, and his mind went into overdrive. "Did you… know?"

Videl shrugged nonchalantly. "I had a hunch you were involved somehow. I wasn't certain you were Goldilocks himself though." Her eyes narrowed ominously, and Gohan couldn't help but gulp. "You have a lot of explaining to do, mister. But it can wait."

"Wha-"

Before Gohan could finish his sentence, he felt Videl's soft lips press against his own. His eyes bulged in shock, and a part of him wanted to break away, but he was quickly overcome by a wondrous feeling of contentment that he couldn't even begin to describe. With his instincts driving his actions, he kissed the girl back with equal intensity.

After a few seconds, the rational part of his brain won out, and with astounding difficulty, Gohan pulled his lips free, making Videl pout adorably. The look she gave made a certain part of his anatomy rise to attention, and it took all his willpower to not dive back in for another kiss… but meditating with Piccolo had done wonders for his mental fortitude. "A-are sure we should be doing this right now?" he ground out.

Videl sighed and traced a dainty digit across his bare pecs, eliciting a groan from the boy and making his cheeks burn. "Just… let me enjoy this for a little while. We can face the world's bullshit later."

"I never took you as the procrastinating type," Gohan said with a nervous chuckle as he scratched the back of his head, his heart racing.

Videl gave him a mock glare and pushed him roughly against a brick wall. "Shut up. You have no idea how long I've been wanting to do this."

The Son boy gulped, but gave a shaky smile as his last vestige of rationality faded. "Maybe not… but I think I can definitely relate."

The pair's lips crashed against one another as they engaged in a mildly heated make out session, months of repressed emotions coming to the forefront. They started off slow and jittery, but the longer the kiss went on, the more comfortable they became, and the more they were willing to experiment.

Videl was running her hands up and down Gohan's muscular back, her palms heating up whatever they touched. Meanwhile, he had let his instincts guide him, and was cupping her cheek with his right hand while his thumb gently brushed her delicate skin, eliciting a faint moan from the girl. He paused momentarily when he felt her hand slowly dip dangerously low, but was far too lost in bliss to care.

"Hey Gohan, we just wanted to let you know that the city's sa- WHOA! Holy crap!"

The two teenagers' eyes snapped open at the sudden interruption, and their heads slowly craned to the side, where they saw three stunned figures gaping in their direction.

Tenshinhan stood ramrod straight, his three eyes bulging in what would've made for a comedic sight had it not been for the gravity of the situation at hand. Yamcha's eyes were darting nervously from Gohan to Videl, and in a startlingly rare occurrence, the former desert bandit was rendered completely speechless. Krillin, who had initially spoken up, was now staring at the pair with his mouth flopping like a fish. His cheeks had reddened to the shade of a cherry, and he had a slight look of guilt in his eyes.

Gohan sighed and ran a hand through his golden hair as he stepped away from a blushing Videl. _'Kami… why have you forsaken me?'_

Several blocks away from this most unwelcome confrontation, a green frog dotted with black spots was scurrying through the streets as though someone had lit a fire under its posterior. Tears of sorrow and terror streamed down its slimy face as it sped towards the city limits, wanting to get as far away from the area as possible. _'Stupid Saiyan! Damn you and your impeccable style! Because of you, I'm going to be trapped on this mudball forever!'_

* * *

 **AN:** **Well, that happened. Cooler, as awesome as he is (in my opinion) is still a small fry compared to the Saiyans at this point. Even in the first Cooler movie, that version of Goku toyed with him in his base form, and only had to get serious when Cooler transformed. This time, Gohan's biggest challenge was keeping collateral damage and civilian casualties to a minimum, as well as having to overcome Cooler's insane durability because of the Majin power-up. I could've gone the Dragon Ball Multiverse route and given Cooler an over-the-top new transformation to put him closer to Gohan's level, but his purpose in the story wasn't to be a proper test for Gohan. Instead, his arrival and subsequent attack on Satan City will have several ramifications that will be explored over the next few chapters. If you'd like to make any guesses as to what, I'm really curious to hear them.**

 **Videl also found out about Gohan being the Golden Warrior, which has been a long time coming. I know a few people weren't satisfied with me making Gohan continue keeping it a secret all the way back in chapter 5, so I figured this would be a good time to try and justify my decision.**

 **I wanted Videl to take the initiative and find the answer out for herself instead of just having Gohan tell her. I wanted her to slowly put the pieces together over the course of their training together, the hunt for the Dragon Balls, the fight against Kage, the meeting with Roshi, and everything in between. By going through all that, I wanted her view of the world as she knew it to shift; I wanted her to come to terms with the revelation that her father was a liar, as well as the possibility that the man she was searching for was Gohan all along – all on her own terms.**

 **I saw an opportunity for Videl's character to grow and develop in a way that wouldn't have happened if Gohan had just casually admitted the truth, so I took it. In the end, I'm happy with this decision, as I believe it gave a lot more weight to the narrative than the alternative. If you still disagree with my reasoning, then that's perfectly fine. I know I can't please everyone. I just hope you still like this fic enough to keep reading.**

 **On a related note, Gohan also had his own reasons for keeping the whole thing a secret, which will be explored next chapter. Was he wrong in doing so? Perhaps, but he's not an infallible character. He may be a superpowered half-alien teenager and one of the strongest people in the universe, but he still makes mistakes like everyone else, and his sheltered upbringing means he isn't the most adept at handling himself in social situations either. He even messed up to a degree in this chapter, and there will be repercussions because of it. Even though things may have seemed rosy and peachy towards the end, believe me, they're not.**

 **Sorry for the really long author's note, but I had a lot to say, and I didn't know how else to express it. As always, thank you to everyone who's favourited and followed this fic. As for those of you who took to time to leave reviews, you guys have my utmost gratitude. I feel like I've become a better writer over the course of this fic, but I'm always looking to improve, so any further feedback would be much appreciated.**

 **Until next time!**


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